B1's batted ball strikes the ground and bounces up to accidentally make contact with the barrel of B1's bat while the bat is over fair ground. B1, at the time, is in the batter's box and is holding his bat. What is the ruling?

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

Answer: (A)

A batted ball that touches the bat again after bouncing is ruled a foul ball if the contact occurs while the bat is over fair territory. In this situation, the ball struck the ground in fair territory, then bounced up and accidentally touched the barrel of the bat while the bat was over fair ground. That contact makes the ball a foul ball, and the play is dead there. It’s not an immediate out or a base award; the ball is simply ruled foul and the at-bat continues (with the usual foul-ball consequences for the count).