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Scorekeeping
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Beyond The Basics of Fastpitch Scoring
produced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association

Introduction:
Written by Jeri Findlay, Head Softball Coach, Ball State University

Scoring in the game of fastpitch softball seems to be as diversified as the people playing it. In order to gain some uniformity, and at the same time, clear up some questions confronting scorekeepers on a daily basis, this guide has been compiled with help from the National Baseball Writer's Association College Baseball Scoring Manual (1975), the NCAA Baseball Rules (1988), the ASA Official Guide and Rule book (1988), the NAGWS Softball Guide (1988), the A.S.A. Scorers Manual (1988), and "The High Country Athletic Conference Scoring Standards." Thanks also to Joe Herandez, Sports Information, Ball State University.

Basic Guidelines and Scorer Responsibilities
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1. The scorekeeper should remain consistently the same person throughout each game and your season. This adds consistency and credibility to your scoring.
2. The scorekeeper should treat both teams the same, deciding between hits and errors, sacrifices and fielder's choices, etc.
3 The scorekeeper's decisions must be in agreement with governing rules and umpires' decisions.
4 The scorekeeper should get lineups early enough to have the scorebook all ready to go at game time.
5. The scorekeeper should be sure to get all substitutions including position changes from the umpire at the time of substitution.
6. The scorekeeper should notify the umpire immediately if the teams attempt to change sides before three outs.
7. The scorekeeeper should not notify umpires if the batters are batting out of order. This should be handled through appeal by the opposing team.
8. The scorekeeper should know the designated player rule in order to help prevent illegal entries and substitutions.
9. The scorekeeper should know the difference between an illegal substitute (not reported/just fix according to rules) and an ineligible substitute (someone who has already been removed from the game/forfeit).
10. The scorekeeper should notify the umpire immediately in the bottom of an inning when the home team has enough runs to win by an established run rule, and also if at the end of any complete inning after five, one team is ahead by the number stated in the run rule.
11 In the case of a protested or suspended game, the scorekeeper should make note in writing of the exact situation at the time of the interruption. The inning, score, outs, runners' positions and the count on the batter should be included.
12. The scorekeeper has the authority to make decisions on any points not specifically covered in scoring rules or these guidelines.
13. The scorer should have a current copy of the rules governing that competition and should know the rules pertinent to her responsibilities (eg: illegal re-entry, designated player, and illegal substitution).

Proving A Box Score
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A scoresheet is balanced or proven when the following formula is satisfied for both sides (teams):
At Bats (AB) + Base on Balls (BB) + Sacrifice Bunts and Flies (SAC) + On Base by Interference (INT) or Obstruction (OBS) + On by International Tie Breaker (ITB) equals Runs scored (R) + Left on Base (LOB) + Opponents Putouts (PO)

Percentages and Averages
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1. Winning percentage = (games won + (Games Tied X .5))/ ((games won (Games Tied X .5)) + (games lost + (Games Tied X .5)))
2. Batting average (BA) = hits / official at bats
3. Slugging average (SLA or SL%) = total bases earned on hits / official at bats
4. On base percentage (OB%) = (base on balls + hit by pitch + hits) / (sac. flies + base on balls + hit by pitch + official at bats) or (times on base earned by appearance at plate) % plate apperances (NSCA formula)
5. Stolen base percentage (SB%)= successful stolen base / stolen base attempts
6. Fielding average (FA) = (putouts + assists) / (putouts + assists + errors)
7. Earned run average (ERA) = (earned runs / innings pitched) x 7 or (earned runs x 21) / out recorded)
8. Strike ratio (pitcher's strike to ball ratio) = strikes thrown / total pitches thrown
9. Catcher's throw out average = thrown out stealing / throw out attempts
10. Total Bases = (homeruns x 3) + (triples x 2) + (doubles x 1) + all hits.

Cumulative Performance Records
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1. A consecutive hitting streak continues even without a hit if plate appearances result in a base on balls, a hit batter, defensive interference or a sacrifice bunt. A sacrifice fly ends a streak even though it is not counted as an official at bat.
2. A consecutive game hitting streak continues even without a hit if all plate appearances result in either a base on balls, hit batter, defensive interference or sacrifice bunt. A sacrifice fly ends a streak.
3. A consecutive game playing streak continues by playing one half of an inning on defense (three outs), or by completing one turn at bat. Merely being a pinch runner does not continue the streak.
4. If a player is ejected from a game before meeting any of the above requirements, her streak continues.
5. When considering curnmulative performance records, all performances in the completion of a suspended game are considered as occurring on the date when the game officially began.

Called and Forfeited Games
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In a regulation game called at the end of a complete inning, all statistics (individual and team) to the moment the game ends, stand. No winning or losing pitcher is declared in a tie.
2. A game ends at the end of the last previously completed full inning only if it is called in an incompleted inning when either
a - the visitors score to tie in the incomplete inning and the home team does not score, or
b - the visitors score to go ahead in the incomplete inning and the home team does not tie or go ahead.
Statistics in the incomplete inning in this case do not count.
3. In a forfeited game where
a - the home team is winning or the score is tied, all statistics up to the point of forfeiture stand,
b - the visiting team is leading and the game reverts back to the last completed inning, statistics up to that last completed inning stand,
c - the team winning by forfeit is also leading, winning and losing pitchers are recorded,
d - the team winning by forfeit is behind or if the score is tied, do not credit winning or losing pitchers and score the game 7-0, and
e - a forfeit occurs before it becomes regulation, no statistics will stand, the forfeit is recorded as a loss, and score the game 7-0 in favor of the team that did not forfeit.

Offense: Statistics
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The following offensive statistics can be kept on each player:
a - Games played (C),
b - Times at bat (AS) - do not include sacrifice bunts, sacrifice flies, hit by pitch, base on balls, gaining first base by interference or obstruction, or an incomplete turn at bat,
c - Plate appearances (PA),
d - Number of runs scored (R),
e - Number of safe hits (H) - separate doubles (2B), triples (3B) and homeruns (HR),
f - Number of runs batted in (RET's),
g - Total bases on safe hits (TB),
h - Stolen bases (SB), stolen base attempts (SBA), caught stealing (CS),
i - Sacrifice bunts (SAC-B) and sacrifice flies (SAC-F),
j - Total bases on bails (BE) - separate listing of intentional bases on balls (1DB),
k - Number of times hit by pitch (HBP),
l - Number of stril.zeouts (SO),
m - Number of times awarded first base for interference or obstruction (TNT., CBS),
n - Number of times left on base (LOB)- include a batter baserunner whose batted ball results in another runner being the third out,
o - Number of game winning runs batted in (GWRSI),
p - Number of fly outs (FO),
q - Number of ground outs (GO),
r - Batting average (BA),
s - Slugging average (SLA or
t - On base percentage (OB%), and
u - Stolen base average (SB%).

Offense: Hits
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Credit a hit
1. when a batter advances safely to any base on a fair ball which settles on the ground or touches a fence before being touched by a fielder, or which clears a fence even if touched by a fielder,
2. when a batter advances safely to any base on a fair ball hit with such force (not enough time to react), or so slowly (more than ordinary effort is necessary to throw batter out), that more than a routine play is required to put out the batter or runner,
a - do not anticipate that an off-balance throw would have retired a runner; this is a hit, even if the throw is wild,
b - when a grounder is fielded and no throw is made, credit a base hit unless no throw is made because of checkng or holding another runner,
c - if a slow or hard hit ball is deflected and thus eliminates a routine play for another fielder, credit a base hit,
d - if a play is made on a lead runner unsuccessfully and the batter would have been safe had the play been made on her, credit a hit (even on an attempted sacrifice bunt or slap hit, or running slap),
e - if a runner interferes with a batted ball, but the batter would have been safe without the interference, credit a hit,
f - if the ball is not touched because of confusion as to whom should have fielded it, or because a fly ball was misjudged and the fielder could not recover in time to gain good position, credit a hit,
3. when a batter advances safely to any base on a fair bail which takes an unnatural bounce (short hop) so it cannot be handled with ordinary effort, or which bounces off the pitching rubber or a base before being touched by a fielder and at an angle so that it cannot be handled with ordinary effort,
4. when a batter advances safely to any base on a ball which reaches the outfield untouched by the infield unless the ball should have been handled by the infielder with ordinary effort (e.g., ball between legs),
5. when a batter advances safely on any fair ball which might even have touched a fielder but was windblown, lost in the sun or lights, or which falls to the ground because the fielder slips on either the field or an object on the field (mask, base, rubber, sprinkler, etc.),
6. on a fair line drive hit to the outfield which drops to the ground, where the outfielder is attempting the catch on the run, not in a set position; or any fair fly bail hit to the outfield which drops to the ground, where the outfielder either had to cover a considerable distance or make the catch while running at a high rate of speed (credit a hit even if the ball is touched),
7. on any fair ball not touched by a fielder that becomes "dead" because of touching the person or clothing of an umpire,
8. when no one covers the base or a fielder is late in coveting the base (use three feet as guideline to whether or not she got there), and
9. when a fair batted ball strikes a cap or glove thrown at it.
Do not credit a hit
1. when a batter misses first base and is then called out on an appeal, and
2. when a batter hits safely and a preceeding runner misses the first base she was advancing to, and is called out by appeal, (this is an appealed force out and batter is on by a fielder's choice).