Question: In high school baseball and softball, batter hits a fair ground ball back to pitcher, but the ball becomes lodged inside the pitcher’s uniform shirt. Live/dead ball? Does batter-runner gain any base awards?
Answer: (BB only) – dead ball; batter gains a two base award (second base) from time of pitch (Rule 5-1-1(f-5) and 8-3-3(c). (SB only) – live ball, as batter may advance with liability to be put out (Rule 8, Sec. 4, Art. 1 (g)).
Question: During a play, a thrown ball becomes lodged inside an offensive player’s uniform (batter-runner or baserunner). Live/dead ball? Any base awards for offensive player?
Answer: (BB only) – dead ball; one base award beyond last legally touched base if player was advancing; if play was on batter-runner, he gains first base award (Rule 5-1-1 (g-4) and Rule 8-3-3(f). (SB only) – dead ball; umpire judges any base awards that runners may have reached at time of incident. (Rule 5-1-1(g-5) and Rule 8, Sec. 4, Art. 3(l) ).