Batter steps on home plate

[Guest Guest]

Little league ruleset. R1 +R2. 1 out.

 

Batter squares to bunt and steps on the plate with his foot entirely out of the batters box. Makes contact with the ball which rolls foul of the 1st base line. 

 

R1+R2 had started running upon contact but the PU called dead ball and declared the BR out for stepping on the plate.

 

R1+R2 stayed on 2nd and 3rd base and were not made to return to their original bases.

 

Since it was a foul ball should the baserunners have been made to return to their original bases at TOP?

[JaxRolo]

It doesn't matter if it was fair or foul. Batter Out. Runners return.

[Rich Ives]

It wasn't a foul ball. It was nothing. It was dead at the moment the batter contacted it. Yes, the runners have to return.

 

6.06 A batter is out for illegal action when—
(a) He hits a ball with one or both feet on the ground entirely outside the batter’s box.

 

5.09 The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without
liability to be put out, when—

(d) A ball is illegally batted; runners return;

[noumpere]

Also note that the plate doesn't matter here (Im assuming LL rules are the same as pro rules for this situation).  All that matters is that the foot was on the ground entirely out of the batters box..

 

In HS rules a batter is out if he steps on the plate and makes contact with the ball even if part of the foot is still in the batters box.

[Guest Guest]

Thanks for the replies.   You guys are an incredible resource,

[kylejt]

The defensive manager was remiss in his job, as he should have protested the fact that runners were allowed to advance.

[zoops]

So in OBR you could be touching the plate and as long as part of the foot is still in the box it's nothing?

[baseballfan]

So in OBR you could be touching the plate and as long as part of the foot is still in the box it's nothing?

yes, and by "in the box," we mean that any part of the foot must be touching the lines of the batter's box. OBR 6.03 and 6.06 (a)