BUNTING
QUESTION: In high school, baseball and softball, batter squares to bunt and holds bat in strike zone without making any offer or bat movement. Pitch is high out of strike zone. Is pitch considered a strike or ball?
ANSWER: In baseball only, pitch is ruled a ball because there was no offer to contact pitch with bat; hence, ball is called on batter. (BB- Rule 7, Sec. 2, Art. 2). In softball only, pitch is ruled a strike despite being out of the zone; holding the bat in the zone is considered a bunt attempt. If batter withdrew bat prior to pitch entering the plate area, pitch would be called a ball. (SB- Rule 2, Sec. 8, Art. 2 and Rule 7, Sec. 2, Art. 2).
QUESTION: Bases loaded, one out; batter bunts pitch which travels high into infield and can be caught with ordinary effort by the shortstop. Is this an infield fly rule play?
ANSWER: Infield fly rule is not in effect during a bunt attempt or line drive play; umpires will not call infield fly rule and ball remains in play. (BB- Rule 2, Sec. 19; SB- Rule 2, Sec. 30).