deadball ruling

Question
Hello Andrew, This has to do with a recent local high school baseball game. There was a runner on first which had the field umpire set up behind the pitchers mound, the batter hit the ball up the middle and hit the umpire in the leg. The field umpire ruled it a deadball and awarded the batter first base. The opposing coach questioned the ruling and asked for a ruling from the home plate umpire. The umpires conversed and though appearing to not be sure upheld the ruling. What would the proper ruling be on such a play?

Answer
William,

The umpires got the call right. According to the NFHS's Baseball Rules, "runners return to bases occupied at time of pitch unless forced by batter-runner. Batter awarded first base and credited with a single." (Dead Ball and Delayed Dead Ball Table, Ball Dead Immediately, Item #14 [page 37]).

This call falls under Rule 5-1-1f-1: "Ball becomes dead immediately when: (f) a fair batted ball: (1) touches a runner or an umpire before touching any fielder and before passing any fielder other than the pitcher"

In the Case Book, Situation 5.1.1(i)-b details the situation almost exactly as you explained it: "With R1 on third and R2 on first, a ball batted by B3 hits the umpire who is (b) behind the pitcher but in front of F4. RULING: In (b), unless the ball touches F1, it becomes dead and each runner is sent to the base he occupied or to which he was being forced when the ball became dead i.e., R1 remains on third and R2 and B3 go to second and first.