Under what conditions is the batter out and the ball dead immediately?

• A. He hits the ball fair with a foot touching home plate.
• B. He hits the ball foul with a foot on the ground completely outside the lines of the batter's box.
• C. He bunts the ball fair with his knee touching the ground completely outside the lines of the batter's box.
• D. A, B and C.

Answer: (D)

When the batter violates where and how he can contact the ball, play ends immediately and the batter is ruled out. The batter must stay within the batter’s box and off the home plate area while making contact with the ball. If a foot is touching home plate while the ball is hit fair, that’s an illegal contact that ends the play right away with an out. If the batter hits a foul ball while a foot is completely outside the batter’s box, that action is outside the legal hitting area and the ball is dead immediately with an out. If the batter bunts a fair ball while a knee is outside the batter’s box, that’s also outside the legal hitting area, so the ball is dead and the batter is out. Because all three scenarios involve illegal contact or positioning, they all meet the condition of the batter being out and the ball being dead immediately.