whats the call?

[Backstop22]

thank you for all advice but still havent seen the correct ruling posted..this was asa tournament..

ball was not hit twice..only once on follow thru..bat never left the hitters hands, was not dropped.

Our coach thought ruling should have been batter out ( 3rd strike) and not a dead ball but live as bat is part of playing field ? .just trying to find rule that pertains to this as half the parents thought it should be played live ( as coach thought) and half agreed dead ball but all agreed that batter was out.

[Comp]

The bat is not part of the playing field until it is out of the batters hands and laying motionless on the ground. Then and only then is it part of the field.

Rule supplement 24.

C. If a batter swings at and misses the pitched ball but:
3. Hits the ball after it bounces off the catcher or mitt/glove. The ball is dead, and all runners must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.

[Jalamander]

thank you for all advice but still havent seen the correct ruling posted..this was asa tournament..
ball was not hit twice..only once on follow thru..bat never left the hitters hands, was not dropped.

So, you didn't like ASA 7-6-K Exception 3?

I realize 7-6-K talks about hitting the bat a second time, however, Exception 3 says:
When contact is made on the follow through after missing the pitch on the initial swing
You said, "batter swings at ball in the dirt, missing it, for strike three."
swinging at a ball in the dirt and missing it is kinda like after missing the pitch on the initial swing. Wouldn't you say?

You said, "Ball bounce off catcher and ball hits the batters bat on her follow thru"
hits the batters bat on her follow thru is kinda like contact is made on the follow through. Wouldn't you say?

I kinda like 7-6-K Exception 3 for the OP.

And, Exception 3's effect says "the ball is dead, and a strike is called."
So, "dead ball", to me, indicates everyone has to return to their last base occupied at time of pitch. And, a "called strike", on a 3-2 count indicates, to me, the count is now 3-3. I have an out. Gimme me a new batter.

And as comp noted, Rules Supplement 24-C nails it.

[Backstop22]

The bat is not part of the playing field until it is out of the batters hands and laying motionless on the ground. Then and only then is it part of the field.

Rule supplement 24.

C. If a batter swings at and misses the pitched ball but:
3. Hits the ball after it bounces off the catcher or mitt/glove. The ball is dead, and all runners must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.

thank you for the perfect explaination...

[Makina]

This is strike 3 - out and dead ball return runner to 1st base for striking ball on ground with follow thru.