What is the ruling when a ball is thrown into the dugout?

When a ball is thrown into the dugout, the ruling is that the ball is considered dead, and the batting team is awarded a base. This situation typically occurs when a defensive player unintentionally throws the ball into their own dugout after a play has been made. According to NFHS rules, this action results in a dead ball, and the runner(s) on base are given an additional base.

The concept behind this ruling is to prevent defensive players from gaining an unfair advantage by throwing the ball into an area where it cannot be retrieved easily by runners. Awarding a base to the batting team promotes fairness and maintains the flow of the game.