Softball Scoring Terms Glossary

Glossary Subjects: General Scoring Terms | Batting | Base Running | Fielding | Pitching

Official NCAA Softball Scorekeeping Instructions:

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MaxPreps Terminology Baseball/Softball Statistics General  GP Games Played How many games the player has participated in during the season. Batting  BA Batting Average H / AB The percentage of At Bats (AB) during which a player gets a Hit (H).  PA Plate Appearances Every trip by a batter to the plate. PA = AB+BB+HBP+SF+SH/B  AB At Bats AB = (Plate Appearances (PA) - BB - HBP - SF - SH/B) Each batter’s opportunity at the plate is recorded as an At Bat. Walks (BB), Hits By Pitch (HBP), and Sacrifices (SF & SH/B) are not counted as an official At Bat. An appearance is not charged to the batter when the inning is ended by another base runner getting tagged out (ie- attempting to steal a base).  R Runs Scored A Run Scored occurs when the player advances through the bases and crosses home plate.  H Hits A play in which the batter hits the ball in fair territory and reaches at least first base before being thrown out.  RBI Runs Batted In A Run Batted In occurs when the player's batted ball results in another player crossing the plate. For a HR, the hitter would also receive an RBI because s/he bats her/himself in.  2B Doubles A Hit (H) enabling the batter to safely reach second base NOT resulting from an Error (E).  3B Triples A Hit (H) enabling the batter to safely reach third base NOT resulting from an Error (E).  HR Home Runs A Home Run is a Hit (H) that either clears the outfield wall in the air or a hit that stays within the confines of the field resulting in the batter scoring, without the benefit of an Error (E).  SF Sacrifice Flies A fly-ball out that advances a runner to score are NOT counted as an At Bat (AB).  SH/B Sacrifice Hits/Bunts A Sacrifice Hit, commonly known as a bunt, is credited when there are 1 or no outs, the batter advances one or more runners with a bunt and is put out at first base (or would have been put out except for a fielding error). Sacrifice Hits/Bunts(SH/B) are NOT counted as an At Bat (AB).  BB Base on Balls or Walks Four pitched balls outside the strike zone that automatically advance the batter to first base. Walks do NOT count as an At Bat (AB).  K Strike Out A batter is given a Strike Out whenever three pitches at which the batter swings and misses, or which the umpire calls three strikes. A Strike Out is also assigned in the case of a two-strike foul bunt attempt. Additionally, a Strike Out is given when: 1) the batter swings and misses at a Wild Pitch (WP) on the third strike, or 2) a Passed Ball (PB) occurs on the third strike- regardless of whether or not the batter arrives safely at first base.  HBP Hit By Pitch A Hit By Pitch occurs when the pitched ball hits a batter standing inside the batter's box.  ROE Reached Base on Error Any time a batter arrives safely on base as a result of an opponent's fielding error (ie- overthrowing the ball, dropping a fly ball, etc).  FC Fielder's Chioce The act of a fielder upon fielding a batted ball, choosing to try to put out one runner while in doing so allowing the batter-runner to advance to first base. A fielder's choice also counts as an At Bat(AB).  OBP On Base Percentage (H + BB + HBP) / (AB + BB + SF + HBP) On Base Percentage is a measure of how often a player reaches base via a Hit (H), Base on Ball (BB), or Hit By Pitch (HBP). (SF and HBP are assumed zero if unavailable)  SLG Slugging Percentage [Singles + (2 * 2B) + (3 * 3B) + (4 * HR)] / AB Slugging Percentage is a measure of a batter's effectiveness in making extra-base hits. A single is worth one base; a Double (2B), two bases; a Triple (3B), three bases; and a Home Run (HR), four bases. Base Running  SB Stolen Bases When a base runner successfully advances a base as a result of his/her own efforts (ie- NOT from a Hit (H), Walk (BB), Fielding Error (E), Passed Ball (PB), etc).  SBA Stolen Base Attempts How many times a base runner attempted to advance a base on his/her own effort.  LOB Left On Base Any runners on base at the end of the inning are given a Left On Base. Fielding  FP Fielding Percentage (PO+A) / (PO+A+E) A measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player handles a batted or thrown ball properly.  TC Total Chances (PO+A+E) The number of times a defensive player handles a batted or thrown ball.  PO Put Outs A Put Out is given to the player who is responsible for the out - catching a fly ball, tagging a runner, etc.  A Assists An Assist is given to the player who directly assisted in the Put Out (PO) - throwing a ball to a basemen for a forced out, etc.  E Errors Errors are given when a fielder fails to make a reasonable play - dropping a fly ball, over/underthrowing to a basemen, etc.  DP Double Plays A double play is credited to one or more fielders when two players are put out between the time a pitch is delivered and the ball next becomes dead or is next in possession of the pitcher in pitching position. The double play is credited to each fielder participating in the double play i.e. the players making the Put Out (PO) or getting an Assist (A).  PB Passed Balls A Passed Ball is a pitch the catcher fails to stop or control when s/he should have been able to do so with ordinary effort and on which a runner (other than the batter) is able to advance. When a Passed Ball occurs on a third strike, permitting a batter to reach first base, record a Strikeout (K) and a Passed Ball.  SB Stolen Base The number of stolen bases on a catcher.  SBA Stolen Base Attempts The number of stolen base attempts on a catcher.  CS Caught Stealing The number of base runners thrown out by a catcher in attempt to steal a base.  CS% Caught Stealing Percentage (SBA - SB) / SBA The percentage of base runners caught stealing by the catcher. Pitching  ERA Earned Runs Allowed Average 7 * (ER / IP) Innings Pitched are calculated to one decimal place. ERA is rounded to three decimal places. For example, assume 32.6 innings pitched and 6 earned runs. 7 * (6 / 32.6) = 1.288  BA Batting Average H / AB The percentage of At Bats (AB) during which an opposing team gets a Hit (H) against a given pitcher.  OBP On Base Percentage (H+BB+HBP) / (AB+BB+SF+HBP) On base percentage is a measure of how often a team reaches base via a Hit (H), Base on Ball (BB), or Hit By Pitch (HBP) against a given pitcher. (SF and HBP are assumed zero if unavailable).  IP Innings Pitched Number of innings pitched by the pitcher.  BF Batters Faced The number of batters faced by a pitcher in a game.  AB At Bats AB = (Plate Appearances (PA) - BB - HBP - SF - SH/B) Each batter's opportunity at the plate is recorded as an At Bat. Walks (BB), Hits By Pitch (HBP), and Sacrifices (SF & SH/B) are not counted as an official At Bat. An appearance is not charged to the batter when the inning is ended by another base runner getting tagged out (i.e.- attempting to steal a base). At Bats under the pitching category stands for the total number of At Bats (AB) for a team against a given pitcher.  R Runs Allowed Runs allowed by the entire team while the pitcher was on the mound.  ER Earned Runs Allowed Runs that batters earned against the pitcher. Runs resulting from fielding Errors (E), Passed Balls (PB), etc. are NOT counted as Earned Runs.  H Hits Allowed Hits allowed by the pitcher when the batter reached at least first base safely.  2B Doubles Allowed Hits allowed by the pitcher when the batter safely reached second base NOT resulting from an Error (E).  3B Triples Allowed Hits allowed by the pitcher when the batter safely reached third base NOT resulting from an Error (E).  HR Home Runs Allowed Home Runs allowed by the pitcher while on the mound. Home Runs that result from an Error (E) are not counted against the pitcher.  SF Sacrifice Flies A fly-ball out against a given pitcher that advances a runner. Sacrifice Flies (SF) are NOT counted as an At Bat (AB).  SH/B Sacrifice Hit/Bunt A Sacrifice Hit, commonly known as a bunt, is credited when there are 1 or no outs, the batter advances one or more runners with a bunt and is put out at first base (or would have been put out except for a fielding error). Sacrifice Hits/Bunts(SH/B) are NOT counted as an At Bat (AB).  BB Base On Balls or Walks Four balls thrown to the same batter; batter automatically advances to first base.  K Strike Outs The number of times a pitcher throws three pitches at which the batter swings and misses, or which the umpire calls three strikes. A Strike Out is also credited in the case of a two-strike foul bunt attempt. Additionally, a Strike Out earned when: 1) the batter swings and misses at a Wild Pitch (WP) on the third strike, or 2) a Passed Ball (PB) occurs on the third strike- regardless of whether or not the batter arrives safely at first base.  HBP Hit By Pitch A Pitch that hits the batter in the batter's box.  WP Wild Pitches Pitches outside of the normal range of the catcher or that hit the ground prior to crossing the plate.  #P Number of Pitches Number of pitches thrown by a pitcher in a game.  GS Games Started Games the pitcher started in the pitching position.  W Pitching Win Awarded to the pitcher who is in the game when the team takes and maintains the lead for the rest of the game; a starting pitcher must pitch at least four innings in a 7 inning game to earn a Win.  L Pitching Loss Charged to the pitcher who is in a game when the opposing team takes the lead, regardless of the number of innings pitched.  SV Pitching Saves Credited to the relief pitcher who comes into the game with the team leading by three runs or less and completes the game without giving up the lead.  APP Appearances A pitching appearance made by a player. Minimum of 1 pitch thrown to qualify for an appearance. Maximum of 1 appearance per game per player.  CG Complete Game Credited to the pitcher who starts and finishes a game; the game may be shorter than seven innings if it is ruled a regulation game.  SO Shut Out Given to the pitcher who starts and finishes a game in which the opponents do not score a run.  W% Pitching Win Percentage W / (W + L) The percentage of wins acquired by a pitcher during the season.