B1 is crowding the front edge of the batter's box and legally hits the pitch. His stride through with his swing places his front foot on the ground in front and outside the batter's box while his back foot remains in the box. The batted ball bounces up and accidentally hits B1's front leg. What is the ruling?

• A. Foul Ball.
• B. Fair Ball.
• C. B1 is immediately declared out.
• D. B1 is awarded first base.

Answer: (A)

When the batter is outside the batter’s box and a batted ball touches him, the ball is dead and ruled a foul ball. The contact occurs outside the box, so the ball cannot be ruled fair, and it does not produce an out or a base award on its own. In this scenario, B1’s front foot was outside the box at contact, the ball bounces up, hits his leg, and is therefore ruled a foul ball. The play is dead, and the at-bat continues with the appropriate ball/strike credit according to the foul-ball rule.