Rule 2

Section 8:

Hit, Fair Hit, Foul, Foul Tip, Ground Ball, Fly Ball, No Pitch

Article 1...

     A Hit is the act of the batter initiating contact between the bat and the pitched ball. A Fair Hit (commonly called a fair ball) is a batted ball which settles on fair territory between home and first base spot or between home and third base spot, on or inside the base lines and on or beyond the forty-foot line; or contacts fair ground on or beyond the forty-foot line on or between first base line and third base line; or which is on or over fair ground when bounding to the outfield area beyond first or third base spot; or ball first falls on fair ground beyond first or third base spot; or which touches the person of a spotter, or fielder (other than the pitcher); or which, while on or over fair ground, passes out of the playing area.

[Note: a fly or line drive hit which passes over or inside first or third base spot in flight and curves to foul ground beyond such spot before touching or being touched is not a fair hit, it is a foul ball.]

Article 2...

     A Foul is a batted ball which settles on foul territory between home and first base spot or between home and third base spot before or after crossing the forty - foot line and before it has passed either base spot in fair territory and before it has been touched by a defensive fielder; or that bounds past first or third base spot on or over foul territory; or ball first falls on foul ground beyond first or third base spot prior to touching or being touched in fair territory; or that stays between first and third base lines but stops moving before it has reached the forty - foot foul line; or that, after touching the ground beyond the forty - foot foul line, rebounds, bounces, or rolls, back across the forty - foot foul line into foul territory before touching or being touched by a fielder; or that, while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or other official or a player or other person, or any object foreign to the natural ground, including a base or its wind - resistant device. A Foul Tip is a batted ball that goes directly to the catcher’s hands and is legally caught and held by any fielder, a Foul Tip is a foul ball and the batter will remain at bat. The fourth strike must be a clean miss or a called strike.

Article 4...

     A Fly Ball is a batted ball, which rises an appreciable height above the ground.

A Line Drive is a batted fly ball which travels parallel or nearly so with the ground through most of its flight.

A Ground Ball is one, which is neither a fly nor a line drive.

Article 5...

     A No-Pitch is a batted ball, which touches the pitcher or his clothing. The count to the batter shall remain the same as it was before that pitch. A no-pitch may also be called for spectator interference or late “ready” or other call by the spotter after or at the same time the pitcher has made the first of two required verbal signals to the batter. It may also be a no-pitch when an official is hit by a fair ball. For a no-pitch, the batter will resume with ball and strike count as it was before the no-pitch call.

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