A batter is declared out when which of the following occurs?

• A. The third-base coach interferes with the third baseman attempting to field a foul fly ball.
• B. He enters the batter's box with an illegal bat.
• C. An attempted bunt on the third strike is foul.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

The batter can be ruled out in several rule-based ways that don’t involve putting a ball in play. One is interference by a coach or other nonplayer with a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball; in that situation the ball is dead and the batter is out. Another is using an illegal bat; the batter is out and the ball is dead because the equipment violated the rules. A third scenario is an attempted bunt on the third strike that goes foul; that counts as a third strike and ends the at-bat with an out. Because all three situations result in an out, the correct conclusion is that all of the above occur.