All games have their ‘fair’ and ‘foul’ rules and areas, and baseball and softball are no different. Players and officials need to understand where these areas are and the laws that govern them so there is no confusion during play.
In baseball and softball, a foul ball is any ball that lands in the designated foul area without landing in the field of play or without touching a fielding player. It is also foul if it strikes the batter in softball or a batted ball makes contact with the batter while he is still in the batting box.
The rules around what constitutes a foul ball for both baseball and softball are quite similar, but there are some subtle and noticeable differences between a foul ball in baseball and one in softball, so let’s get on the diamond and find out more!
What Are The Fair And Foul Areas In Baseball And Softball
Foul balls are defined mostly by where they land after being batted. In baseball and softball, the diamonds are essentially the same even though the respective field sizes are different, so the lines from home plate to first base and third base define the ‘fair’ playing area.
Inside those lines is the playing area, the ‘fair’ part of the playing ground. Balls landing in this area are ‘fair’ and in play as per the rules of each game, and the poles and the lines are NOT part of foul territory.
The area beyond those lines, as defined by the position of the yellow poles, is considered foul, and a ball landing in those areas without landing in the field of play or making contact with a player in the field of play is called foul.
It should be noted that if the ball comes to rest with any part touching the foul line or in fair play, it is called fair and in play.
When Is A Ball Foul In Baseball And Softball
There are a few instances when the umpires will call a ball foul, and most of the time, this depends on where the ball lands after being batted. Here are all the reasons a ball may be called foul in baseball or softball.
- Any ball that crosses the foul lines in the air between home plate and first and third base without touching a player in the fair territory would be called a foul ball.
- Any ball batted to the ground and goes foul before reaching first or third base will be called foul.
- Any ball that makes contact with a fielder in foul territory will be called foul.
- A batted ball that strikes the batter while still in the box is called foul.
- In softball, if the ball strikes the batter on the leg while inside, the batter’s box will be called foul.
- In softball, a ball that lands foul and then spins back into the fair territory is not foul, and the converse is also true of a ball landing fair but finishing foul.
Do Foul Balls Count As Strikes
In baseball, a batter hitting two foul balls will be given two strikes, but any other foul balls hit will be called foul, and there is then no limit to the number of foul balls a batter can hit after the first two have been called as strikes.
You cannot be struck out on a foul ball in baseball unless the batter then attempts to bunt, and the ball goes foul, in which case, this will be called the third strike, and the batter is out. This rule applies to most college and professional baseball and softball leagues.
In softball, however, a limit may be placed on the number of foul balls a batter can hit after the first two, but this may vary according to the league and local rules.
Can You Be Caught Out Off A Foul Ball In Baseball Or Softball
In baseball and softball, any player on the fielding team who catches the ball before it touches the ground in foul territory or lands foul outside the field perimeters will be awarded a strike or an out if it’s strike three for the batter.
If the batted ball makes contact with the ground in foul territory, then the ball is foul and called dead, and the players must return to their starting positions before that pitch.
In softball, If a fielder catches a ball in foul territory, a runner can still tag up, but if the ball hits the ground foul, then the ball is dead, and the base runners may not advance.
Foul Ball Vs. Foul Tip In Baseball And Softball
There is a difference between a foul ball and a foul tip in both games. The foul tip is where the ball strikes the point or bottom of the bat and is then caught by the catcher without touching the ground or the umpire. In baseball, this is a strike, and the batter will be given out.
It should be noted that the foul tip only applies where the ball goes directly into the catcher’s mitt and is caught, but should it not be caught, or it goes into the air or strikes the umpire, the ball is called foul and is a dead ball.
This is because the referee and catcher are standing in foul territory, and the ball making contact with them would be deemed to have landed foul. But, amended rules state that if the ball strikes the catcher’s mask or chest and is then caught, this is a foul tip and is counted as a strike as the ball is in play.
In softball, a foul tip is only a strike or out if the ball goes above the batter’s head after being tipped or nicked and is caught.
Conclusion
Knowing the foul lines and areas and the rules around them can also be of strategic use in some cases, and players that are adept at catching foul balls can create outs at pressure times during a game.
The foul ball in baseball and softball is fundamentally the same, with only some minor exceptions for softball coming into play. In most cases, when watching a game, you will be able to recognize a foul ball in either sport.