What happens if a batter swings at a pitch and hits the catcher's glove?

• A. The pitch is ruled a dead ball and no strike is charged.
• B. The pitch is ruled a strike and the batter is out.
• C. The pitcher must re-pitch the ball.
• D. The batter is awarded first base.

Answer: (A)

When a batter swings at a pitch and makes contact with the catcher's glove, the play is considered dead. This rule is in place to ensure fair play and protect both the batter and the catcher from unnecessary injury. Since the contact with the glove is classified as an infringement of the rules, no strike is charged to the batter. This allows the play to reset without penalizing the batter for an incident that falls outside the typical framework of a pitch.

In contrast, the other scenarios do not align with the established rules of play regarding this situation; for instance, ruling it a strike and declaring the batter out fails to recognize the protective intent of the rule. Similarly, requiring the pitcher to re-pitch or awarding the batter first base would not apply in this instance, as the main intent is to ensure that the safety of players is preserved.