A new one, right from today's game. Something I don't think I have seen before.
1 out
man on 1st
Batter with a 3-2 count and the runner going, swings at a pitch in the dirt. The ball hits off the dirt and then hits him in the leg.
He starts to run to first but is declared out as 1st base is occupied. The runner who was on 1st is now on 2nd.
The manager of the defensive team comes out to the plate umpire, basically saying that since the ball did hit the batter, even though he swung at the pitch, it should be a dead ball, and the runner returns to 1st base.
In the rule book, it does state that t he ball is dead when it hits a batter.
What was our ruling?