What is the ruling if a batter swings and misses, causing the ball to strike the catcher and fall away?

When a batter swings and misses at a pitched ball, and the ball subsequently strikes the catcher, the play is considered a dead ball. This means that no runners can advance, and the batter is not awarded the opportunity to run to first base as a result of the pitch. The rule establishes that once the ball touches the catcher and is considered a strike, the play is halted, and the batter is ruled out.

In this scenario, the fact that the batter swung and missed is critical because it indicates that the pitch was a valid attempt, and any subsequent occurrence, such as the ball striking the catcher, does not alter the fact that the batter has failed to make contact with the ball. Therefore, the batter being out is a direct result of the swing-and-miss rule, ensuring consistent enforcement of the strike rule in baseball.

The other scenarios do not apply here: the batter does not get to advance as the ball is dead, runners remain in their positions because the ball is not live, and this situation does not involve catcher's interference since the pitch was not deemed a foul play that would warrant such a ruling.