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Softball Scoring Question

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by KYSportsWriter, May 5, 2008.

  1. spnited

    spnited Active Member

    Runners on second and third, slap...so when the runner on third doesn't advance, there is no advance, so no sac.

    straight fielder's choice.
     
  2. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    just checking...
    A lot of times, (different situation) when a softball player bunts to advance and reaches safely, it's credited as a hit instead of a fielder's choice, even though no play is made and the intent of the bunt is to advance the runner.
     
  3. Central-KY-Kid

    Central-KY-Kid Well-Known Member

    I could very well be a softball idiot, because a play like that happened in the same game last night and I ruled it a hit (because the fielder, in this case the pitcher, didn't attempt a play to any base). With runners on first and second and no outs, the batter bunted right back to the pitcher. The pitcher fields it cleanly and looked to throw to third (but never released the ball), but the third baseman was also playing the bunt and when the pitcher turned to throw, saw there was no play. She then turned to first, but the first baseman was likewise playing up on the bunt and had no throw to first either (although the runner would have easily been out had the first baseman been covering first).

    According to the way the fielder's choice definition is written, it's NOT a fielder's choice because the ball was never actually thrown, right?

    As far as the original play in question - in which both coaches ruled it a single because although the ball was thrown, the preceding runner was not forced to advance - it seems to me like another instance wouldn't have a definitive answer:

    Runner on second (but not first). Ball hit to shortstop. Instead of throwing to first for a sure-fire out to get the out, chooses to throw to third on a non-force out to keep the runner in scoring position from advancing. Granted the play was made on a preceding runner, the preceding runner never attempted to move and just stayed at second. Is that still a fielder's choice?
     
  4. Central-KY-Kid

    Central-KY-Kid Well-Known Member

    Actually it was third and first with one out. Struck out the first batter. Walked the second. Second batter steals second and on a passed ball/wild pitch which walked the third batter, second batter moved to third.

    Pitcher struck out six of the first 10 batters she faced and finished with 9Ks, 1HBP and 2BB. Not a bad pitching night for a freshman.

    And you're right: It is easy in softball to score without a hit (especially when they go to the international tiebreaker rule in extra innings).

    If this had been a coach calling in a non-district game or game in a tournament or game against an out-of-area opponent, I wouldn't have made a big deal. Or had the pitcher already given up five or six hits.

    But since I was actually at the game (so was the local TV station, and not just for highlights, but for delayed broadcast) and the play affected a no-hitter between district rivals, I felt the need to ask.

    I originally ruled fielder's choice. Ex-college player convinced me it was a single since the third baseman tried to make a play on a preceding runner who was NOT forced to move when the third baseman could have reasonably thrown out the runner at first.

    Since the home book (which was the one that "cost" the pitcher her no-no) was official, I went with it. My sports editor (who usually has the final say in my articles) originally said single. Kysportswriter and I waffled over it.

    For the record, prep sports in my area get more coverage than two large D-I schools. They are in essence are pro teams (especially now, in times of budget tightening, any trip across the county line must be pre-approved by the managing editor).
     
  5. Barsuk

    Barsuk Active Member

    This is the very definition of a fielder's choice. I'm not sure why there's a debate. If the scorer deems the batter would have been out had the fielder thrown to first, it's a fielder's choice, cut and dried. It doesn't matter whether the runner at third was forced.

    Why would you award the batter a hit, when everyone is in agreement she would have been out had the throw gone to first? That's just common sense.
     
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