score book question

[SoCal_Dad]

I'm going to revive this thread since I was trying to come up with an answer to a situation that occurred recently.
Batter hits to SS. SS throws to 2B but 2b isn't quite where she should be and runner is safe. I scored the batter with a FC since in my opinion the batter would have been out if the throw had been made to 1st.

Was F4 late in getting to the bag or did they miss the bag? If F4 was late, your rationale for FC is correct. If R1 reached 2B due to F4 missing the bag, that's an error and batter gets FC regardless of whether they would have safe or not.

NCAA 14.21.3 An error shall be charged against any fielder when she catches a thrown ball or fields a ground ball in time to put out any runner on a force play and fails to tag the base or the runner, including a batter-runner on a play at first base.

The umpire asked me how I scored the batter since the batter already had an HR and a triple and he was already thinking this girl might be able to hit for a cycle. I told him I scored it an FC and he said that was wrong since no out was recorded. I've kept score for years for boys baseball, travel ball and hs softball and always scored this situation as an FC. It sounds like most of you would agree that I was correct and Oiler pride's post from the ATEC manual seems to agree with my opinion also. Also, there is a scorer's opinion that sometimes comes into play with a FC....correct? Just want to make sure I haven't been doing things wrong all these years.

Umpire was wrong to suggest an out is required. Scorer's judgement is involved in 3 of the 5 NCAA rules.

14.7 Fielder?s Choice
A fielder?s choice is credited in the following situations:
14.7.1 To a batter:
14.7.1.1 When a ground ball is put in play and any preceding base runner is out on the hit or would have been out had no error occurred.
14.7.1.2 When a ground ball is put in play and the lead base runner is safe, but the batter would have been out had the initial play gone to first base.
14.7.1.3 When a ground ball is put in play and any preceding base runner, who is forced to advance, is called out on an appeal for missing the first base to which she was advancing.
14.7.1.4 When a base runner is checked and no throw or a late throw is made, but the base runner would have been out had the initial play gone to first base.
14.7.1.5 When the base runner interferes with a batted ball and the official scorer judges that the batter would have been put out but for the interference.

 

[DeepShot]

Good ol' scorebook controversy. I raised the question a few years ago about having an official scorer at each game, possibly a "trained" person provided by the home team. This would eliminate a lot of the problems with padded stats, etc. I always love looking at the stats in the newspaper to see the top pitcher in the area with in 0.75 ERA, but her team's record is 1-15.

 

[kjn40]

F4 just wasn't there in time...so FC.