HS fastpitch rule question

Question
Batter in batter's box performs a drop step bunt for a hit. Bunt is successful and batter reaches 1B safely, only to be called out by the umpire. Umpire states batter stepped out of the box with her back (drop) foot (questionable as the chalk lines were pretty non-existent midway through game 2 of a DH) and is out. Coach argues that her foot was back in when she made contact with the ball, therefore she should be safe. When asked where her foot was on contact, in or out, umpire could not say for sure and did not answer.

What is the call? Safe or out?

I asked Coach Mike and he sent me to you for follow up. Thanks!

Answer
HI Michelle,

Let's talk about the batter's box first, it is 7' long and 3' wide 6" from the plate, 4' in front of a line drawn through the middle of the plate.  The lines are considered as part of the box.  Any part of the foot touching any part of the line is considered in the box.  That means the entire foot has to be outside the line.

If you assume a foot in the shoe is at least 1' that means the batter's foot has to be about 41/2' from the edge of the the plate to the side, 4' back from the center of the plate or about 5' in front of the center of the plate.  These are pretty good distances.  I can tell you from experience it looks like something is "grossly" wrong on positioning when the batter contacts the ball when out of the box.  This is not a call that is very common in softball (stepping on the plate is much more common)

Now to your question, lines are pretty much gone, the batter may have stepped out on her positioning(doesn't matter)and then back in when contact was made.  It only matters where the foot was when contact was made.  

When we have a batter out of the box and contact with the ball, we have a dead ball and the batter is out.  The umpire comes with the call immediately.  The batter should know it before they take 2-3 steps.

This is a judgement call and I didn't see the play.  With no lines and nothing "gross" and no immediate "dead ball-batter's out", I have a problem with call.

It's not in the rule book but good umpires never "guess" someone out.

Mark