You make the call......First Time for me....

Runner on second with 2 outs, batter goes full count. Swings and misses strike 3, ball hits him in the shoulder during the swing and glances off to the backstop. Runner at 2nd advances to third and batter takes off and beats the throw to first. This play had no bearing on the game at all, but I have honestly never seen it happen before. Umpire said it was a live ball and both runners were safe. Talking too him after the game (friend of mine) he said he never had it come up before, but in his opinion ball was live.

Was just curious. Swing and miss strike three passed ball with first unoccupied batter can advance to first. Batter hit by baseball, play is dead. Obviously one has to take precedent, but which and why?

Stretchy, perhaps I can get you to put on your thinking cap!

 

Great question

Batter is out, dead ball and no one can advance per rule book.

 

Good Call Stretch

The ball became dead by hitting the batter, batter can not advance on 3rd strike unless the catcher doesn't receive it cleanly, however the ball was dead before it got by the catcher, so therefore batter is out and runner can't advance.

 

batter swings and misses is the key
ball is live
runners advance at own risk

 

Dead Ball

No runners can advance once the batter swings and gets hit by the pitch because the ball is immediately dead.

See: NFHS rule book page 36 Rule 5 Art 1 a.1 (5-1-A-1)

 

any man that can give the article the rule is in obviously knows more than i

stretchy i defer to you sir

 

What do umps really know?

Thanks Legion: don't tell anybody i said this but if it does happen in your game I bet it will be called wrong. So stick to your guns.

 

My Opinion

Batter/Runner is out!

You swing on that pitch and get HBP then you are out. Can't have it both ways. You don't get the option of 1st base. You struck out at home base. You get 3 "offerings." What you do with them is your business. You get a "chance" at 1st base on dropped 3rd strike because the offense has to complete the play. Not if you swing and miss on 3rd strike AND get hit. Should not have swung on "offering" that was not legitimate. Dead ball. You should be out. IMO.

Heres a question for you. You swing and miss on 3rd strike and it hits umpires mask. Deflects off the mask and to the back stop. Do you get chance at 1st? Should runner be able to advance?

What if you swing and miss and for some reason the ball hits the plate and jumps over the back stop? or under it?

Why would someone swing on a 2 strike count that is going to potentially hit them?

Just thinking out loud here. Don't know what the rules actually say.

If I got any of this wrong please tell me.

 

Rules Rules Rules

YES you can run to first as long as first was not occupied at time of pitch, unless there were 2 outs then you could also run to first even if first was occupied. The runners can run too. Hope I did not confuse you.