In the situation where B1's bunt hits his bat lying on the ground, what is the ruling?

When a bunted ball strikes the bat while it is lying on the ground, the ruling is that the ball is considered foul. This is based on the definition of a foul ball in baseball and softball rules, which state that if a batted ball hits anything other than a fair territory or bounces back directly into foul territory before it has a chance to cross the baseline, it is ruled foul. Since the bat is not being actively held by the batter and is instead lying on the ground, contact with the bat in this position does not count as a legal hit and contributes to the foul designation.

The other options do not apply in this scenario. A ball being ruled fair would suggest it is playable and within the field of play, which contradicts the scenario of hitting a bat on the ground. Similarly, stating that play continues with no ruling disregards the need for a definitive determination in such cases, and allowing runners to advance assumes the ball is in play, which it cannot be if it has been deemed foul. Thus, declaring the ball as foul is the appropriate and consistent ruling in this situation.