Also, for more info on how I've been playing (which perhaps is less conventional):
Before the start of every game, I assign my manager to control all aspects of game play. So, yeah, I just sit back and watch. I'm just the GM.
I also turn off "Pause after each play" so the game just goes on autopilot.
Perhaps when playing in this way there's something in the app that's not getting initialized properly when the first foul ball is hit with ball animation on? If the first ball hit is not a foul ball, I won't get the crash.