My son is playing in a 12U league right now that, to the best of my knowledge, is using high school rules. We've had a scenario happen to us a couple of times that I'd like to get some clarification on.

 

We play on a lot of fields that do not have natural pitching mounds built into the field (ie: Idlewild, Central Park, etc.) so they use the portable mounds instead. And through 5 games we've had a couple of instances where a batted ball has hit the front lip of the mound, and ricocheted off of it (before the pitcher or any other player touched it). My question lies with the status of the ball. We have heard three different "opinions/rulings" from the various umpires/coaches involved in these instances.

 

1.) The ball is considered "live" until it is touched by a player or passes one of the foul lines. Depending on where the ball is when it is touched (in fair territory, or in foul territory), or where it crosses the foul line (before first/third base, or after it) the ball could either be called fair or foul.

 

2.) The ball is considered "live" regardless of where it ends up or when a player touches it.

 

3.) The ball is considered "dead", regardless of where it is ultimately fielded, batter receives first base and any base runners advance one base.

 

I am 99.99% positive that the MLB rule states that if a batted ball hit the pitching rubber and ricochets off into foul territory (before the first or third base bag), then it is a foul ball, unless otherwise touched by a player in fair territory. So, I am leaning heavily towards #1 up above. But, didn't know if there was a specific rule that high school may deal with in the case of a portable mound.

 

Anybody know for sure?

You are 100% correct. Foul ball if it is not touched before it goes foul before it crosses past the first or third base bags.

When we used the portable mounds in the Boone parks, we always raked dirt around the edges and never had that problem.

There are no rules that I know of regarding portable mounds so if it hits the mound and goes foul without being touched by a fielder it's a foul ball.

There are no rules that I know of regarding portable mounds so if it hits the mound and goes foul without being touched by a fielder it's a foul ball.

 

That's what I would've thought. However there were arguments being made that it should be treated just like a base. Instead, I think it should be thought of as "artificial ground", and played accordingly.

That's what I would've thought. However there were arguments being made that it should be treated just like a base. Instead, I think it should be thought of as "artificial ground", and played accordingly.

 

There are 4 bases. That's it. Nothing else can be treated like a base.

 

The case play example someone cited earlier is how you play this.