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Discussion: Scorekeeping Question

Posted Discussion
March 2, 2022
Jet60
Men's 60
10 posts
Scorekeeping Question
Here is the situation at a game at the recent TOC in FL. 5th inning, One Out and guys on first and third. Routine Fly ball to moderately deep Right Center field. Both runners go back to their bases to tag up. The right center fielder drifts back several steps and prepares to catch and throw. But he randomly drops the ball. The runner on 3rd advances home. The runner on first tries to advance to second but the right center fielder picks up the ball a few feet away and makes the throw to second forcing the runner out. And of course the batter is safe at first. Question. Are there any official errors on the play? The runner on third would have scored with or without the drop. Is there an error on the Right Center Fielder for the batter getting to first or is it officially a Fielders Choice since the play was made at second? Discussion among teammates after the game. Thanks in advance.
March 2, 2022
Benji4
Men's 55
289 posts
It's softball. There are no errors. Only hits and outs. On base percentage is what is calculated. Walks should count as a hit and sacrifice flys are outs. Keep it simple.
March 2, 2022
MurrayW
Men's 65
221 posts
Benju4, I agree totally except a sacrifice fly that scores the last run of the inning or wins the game counts as a sacrifice fly.
March 2, 2022
MurrayW
Men's 65
221 posts
Benji4 not Benju4...I wish there was an edit function here.
March 2, 2022
Jet60
Men's 60
10 posts
Okay. I like it because I was the RC Fielder! :) Only "physical" error of the tournament for me. BUT, technically speaking, if this were baseball, would there be an error charged? We won the game and the tournament so my teammates were not riding me. Just a "baseball" question that we were debating over a beer or two. Thanks!
March 2, 2022
Dbax
Men's 65
2100 posts
It’s a fielders choice. No hit for the batter and no error for the outfielder. And there are plenty of errors in softball.
March 2, 2022
TimMcElroy
942 posts
I'm always more concerned with the end result (Win or Loss) than the number of hits or RBI that I had. If the batter is honest with himself, he knows whether or not he had a quality at bat or a dud.

These questions are always head scratchers for me.
March 2, 2022
RiverRandy55
5 posts
I agree the play is a fielders choice no hit on the play. The bottom line is who won the game as we all have been in these type of games.
March 2, 2022
Jet60
Men's 60
10 posts
It really was a rules question I was trying to get answered. To take a couple of points made a little further, it isn’t about performance or even winning. I am playing a game with buddies and living to talk about it! Thanks for the feedback and the answer to my original question! Happy Playing!!
March 2, 2022
Mason's Grandpa
29 posts
Jet60, IF, and I do mean IF, Your team keeps a proper score book. It would be a Sac Fly with an error on the outfielder that dropped the ball. If he had not dropped the ball the Batter would not be on first base. Plus the runner that was on first would probably not have been forced to 2B and forced out. So, Officially it is a Sac Fly with an Error. Like other people have said, "There are no Errors in Softball"
March 4, 2022
bkb555
301 posts
it's a FC, fielder's choice....it's the same if a ball goes to a SS and he bobbles it but still forces the guy at 2B...run scores because he chose to go to second for an out....FC with an RBI but 0-1 for hitter because an out was made during the AB
March 4, 2022
DJ12
18 posts
Officially it would be an error. If a reasonable attempt is made and not caught it is an error. Scorekeepers discretion however.
March 5, 2022
stattad
Men's 65
235 posts
Mason's Grandpa is the only one that got it right. It is a sacrifice fly foremost, because if the OF catches it, the run still scores. I don't believe there's an error, however, because the batter didn't reach safely (since the runner on first was forced at 2B).

As for only hits and outs in softball, that's just lazy. Most players don't know what constitutes an error, so they just give him a hit. Doesn't help the manager any when everyone is hitting over .600! A batter has nothing to do with getting on base if the fielder makes an error.

And I'm still waiting to see a batter score from 2nd on a walk, since some say it's as good as a hit!

March 6, 2022
Webbie25
Men's 70
2414 posts
So, playing devil's advocate here, same situation and the batter hits a ground ball to the infield. The infielder boots it, but picks it back up in time to make the play at second. Run scores. If the outfielder can be charged with an error even though he got the force out at second, why isn't the infielder also charged with an error because he also booted the ball? AND, for scoring purposes, can you ASSUME the sacrifice fly if the ball is not caught? The runner still would have had to tag correctly and beat the throw. I think what you have here is a batter that lost his sac fly because the ball was dropped. It becomes only a fielders choice.
March 6, 2022
Webbie25
Men's 70
2414 posts
One other point. Had the outfielder dropped the ball and everyone was safe, do you still give the sac fly? No,I don't think so. It becomes an error on the outfielder and the sac fly is gone.
March 6, 2022
B.J.
1105 posts
I know for a fact that in baseball and I believe it’s also the same in softball if a runner is on 3rd and the batter hits a fly ball deep enough to the OF for the runner to score the batter is credited with a SF and RBI it doesn’t matter whether the OF makes the catch or drops the ball

as far as sacrifice on a IF hit I know of none other than a bunt
which isn’t legal in softball
March 6, 2022
Jet60
Men's 60
10 posts
Thanks guys for the follow-up. As I stated early on, more of Scorekeeping question assuming real baseball.
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