bunt, run, throw hits helmet

[Diesels_dad]

think I saw post before but could not find


Batter bunts ball down first n runs towards first. Catcher fields ball and hits batter running towards first in head. Ball goes into OF. Batter was about one step away from bag. Only one bag --no safety bag.. batter was running on foul line

Is batter out? Is ball live? Does rule change for other bases?

[Comp]

Based on your description, sounds like no call and ball is live. The runner should be in the running lane, but, with the absence of a safety base at some point the runner has to get to the bag. Even if there was a safety base, being hit by the ball does not necessarily mean it is automatic interference. It must be a quality throw by the catcher and the runner must actually interfere with the defenses ability to catch the ball at 1st.

Running lane only applies to 1st base and throws coming from the vacinity of home plate. At any other base the runner is entitled to their basepath and has no responsibility to avoid a throw, other than to avoid interfering with a fielder fielding a batted ball or in the act of throwing a ball.

[MTR]

Based on your description, sounds like no call and ball is live. The runner should be in the running lane, but, with the absence of a safety base at some point the runner has to get to the bag. Even if there was a safety base, being hit by the ball does not necessarily mean it is automatic interference. It must be a quality throw by the catcher and the runner must actually interfere with the defenses ability to catch the ball at 1st.

Running lane only applies to 1st base and throws coming from the vacinity of home plate. At any other base the runner is entitled to their basepath and has no responsibility to avoid a throw, other than to avoid interfering with a fielder fielding a batted ball or in the act of throwing a ball.

For the purpose of the question, this is correct. However, just clarification on the highlighted sentence, this is not necessarily true. The rule refers to interfering with the defenses ability to receive a throw at 1B, nothing with from where the throw originated. The throw could be coming from anywhere and if the BR interferes with the defender receiving the throw at 1B (while out of the 3' lane), the rule still applies.