A batter is declared out when which of the following occurs?

A batter is declared out when which of the following occurs?

• A. The third-base coach interferes with the third baseman attempting to field a foul fly ball.
• B. He enters the batter's box with an illegal bat.
• C. An attempted bunt on the third strike is foul.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

The batter can be ruled out in several rule-based ways that don’t involve putting a ball in play. One is interference by a coach or other nonplayer with a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball; in that situation the ball is dead and the batter is out. Another is using an illegal bat; the batter is out and the ball is dead because the equipment violated the rules. A third scenario is an attempted bunt on the third strike that goes foul; that counts as a third strike and ends the at-bat with an out. Because all three situations result in an out, the correct conclusion is that all of the above occur.

The batter can be ruled out in several rule-based ways that don’t involve putting a ball in play. One is interference by a coach or other nonplayer with a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball; in that situation the ball is dead and the batter is out. Another is using an illegal bat; the batter is out and the ball is dead because the equipment violated the rules. A third scenario is an attempted bunt on the third strike that goes foul; that counts as a third strike and ends the at-bat with an out. Because all three situations result in an out, the correct conclusion is that all of the above occur.