Dropped bat touches fair ball

Question
Fastpitch softball:  The batter bunts the ball fair.  She drops her bat to run to first.  The bat hits the ball on the ground; the ball stays fair.  Is the ball still live?

Answer
In your scenario no, the ball is dead and the batter is out for interference.

There is a lot of confusion on what happens in this situation.  The outcome is determined by whether the ball rolled into a stationary bat on the ground or the bat was dropped/thrown on the ground and hits the ball before the bat becomes stationary.  In the first situation, no call play on.  In the second situation dead ball and the batter out for interference.

Tom