Dead ball bunt attempt with 2 strikes

[Jayhawk]

Although I have coached ten years last night I attended my daughter's first high school game as a spectator. A play occured that had a huge impact on the game that I am not sure was ruled on correctly. I came here for the answer.

With runners on 1 and 2 the batter attempts to move them over with a bunt. With a couple of foul attempts she works her way into a 1-2 count. The next pitch is another bunt attempt. The ball come off the bat and hits her while she is in the box. Umpire ,of course, calls "dead ball". The batter stays up to bat and winds up hitting a double knocking in what would end up being the winning runs.

My question is this. With the failed bunt attempt on strike three would that have not been the same as hitting a foul ball and thus she would be out? Or does it change if it is ruled the bunt attempt hit the batter in the box with the resultant dead ball call?

The umpires did not seem to give thought to it but neither did my daughters coaches. Play just resumed. As a first time spectator I just kept it to myself. However, had I been coaching in this game I am sure I would have asked for a rules clarificaton.

[Bretman]

Should have been ruled as a foul ball and the batter should have been out.

NFHS Rule 2-25-1f: Foul Ball. A foul ball is a batted ball that...touches the batter or the bat in the batter's hand(s) a second time while the batter is within the batter's box.

Rule 7-4-9: Batter is out (when)...(F.P.) A bunt on a third strike is foul.

The only way I can see their call as being right is if the "bunt" wasn't really a bunt. Was it a typical bunt, with the bat held still across the plate? Or, was it by chance a "slap", where the batter is moving forward in the box while bringing the bat from her shoulder to the ball? If it was a slap-type swing, it would not be regarded as a bunt, but rather as a swing and the batter would not be out.

[Jayhawk]

It was a right-handed batter trying to perform a straight sacrifice. She squared up early. Not a slapper in any form. I am positive what threw off the umpires and my daughter's coaches was the "dead ball' call and moving the advancing runners back to their bags. I think that everyone involved just overlooked that the play occured on an attempt to bunt with two strikes on the batter.

I would estimate that I have coached in about 750 games over the years and I am not sure I have ever seen a "dead ball" on a bunt with two strikes. Rarely do teams keep the bunt on with two strikes. Add to the fact that balls hitting the batter in the box don't happen all that often.

I will give myself credit. When this high school season started I told myself I would be the perfect parent and not be a part of the game. I have coached long enough that I know what parents coaches like to have in the stands. They are parents that only cheer for their kid and her teammates. If I can keep my mouth shut on a play that effectively caused my daughter's team to lose her first game I should be able to keep it shut on everything.