During a pitch, the batter steps halfway across the plate and gets hit by the pitch. What is the ruling?

When a batter is hit by a pitch, the ruling typically grants them entitlement to first base, provided certain conditions are met. In this scenario, stepping halfway across the plate does not negate the batter's right to be awarded first base if they are hit by a pitch. The key point here is that the batter did not deliberately attempt to be hit; rather, this situation indicates that they were unavoidably struck by a pitch that was within the bounds of the strike zone or intended to be thrown at them.

The rules emphasize that a batter must make an effort to avoid being hit, but if a pitch strikes a batter while they are in the batter's box and they do not swing at it, then they are entitled to take their base. This holds true regardless of their positioning relative to the plate.

This is why the correct ruling for this situation is that the batter is entitled to first base, reflecting the fundamental principles of player safety and fair play in baseball.