What is the ruling if the pitcher drops the ball during delivery with runners on base?

When a pitcher drops the ball during delivery with runners on base, the correct ruling is that the delivery counts as a no-pitch. This means that the ball remains in play, and the situation resets. The intent of this ruling is to ensure the fairness of the game, as the pitch was not successfully delivered.

If the ball were to cross the foul line, it would not necessarily affect the no-pitch ruling; the delivery has already been deemed incomplete due to the drop. Therefore, any subsequent actions that occur as a result of this dropped ball, including pitches that cross into foul territory or any potential calls about strikes or balls, do not apply because the original action of the pitch is ruled invalid.

This approach preserves the integrity of the game by preventing the defense from taking advantage of a dropped ball during the delivery process.