Sac, hit, or error?

fpmom's post reminded me about another play...

Runner on 1st. Hitter squares and pushes a bunt between pitcher and 1st. Pitcher and 1st go for ball, second goes to second instead of first. Runners safe at first and second.

How do you score it - sacrifice, hit, or error (I guess technically if you say error, it is still a sac since that was the intent)?

 

Hit, error is for physical error (bad throw, dropped ball, etc) not for mental error. Only a Sac if the batter is out while moving a runner into scoring position or scoring. I still don't understand people's thoughts on 'intent'. If a runner is on 3rd and batter hits a fly to the outfield and runner from 3rd scores, that is a sacrifice. I guess, with a runner on 3rd, if batter hits grounder to the infield and the runner is able to score, you give the batter the RBI but not the sacrifice. I know the first batter didn't 'intend' to hit a fly ball but it's still scored as a sacrifice fly. Maybe I'm thinking too hard (or not smart enuff) but why wouldn't the second batter be 4-3 Sac?

 

Hit....

Errors occur with a physical mistake.

That is a designed play in most college programs, especially with an aggressive first baseman. Push bunt into the 2nd base slot.

 

Agree

 

That's a hit. We even had a girl here a few years back that could do that very well. I even remember her getting a true double off it once. she was a speedster

 

not true. a batter can still be credited with a sac if she reaches on an error. bunt down the third base line that would have gotten the runner from first to second, third baseman throws wild to first and runner reaches. runner credited with sac.

 

You're right grid. Forgot about that. The batter would still be credited with a sac in that situation.

 

Is there enough info?

I know I'm slow and maybe that's why I'm not getting this. I think I need more info here. Did the ball 1) get fielded by either the pitcher or 1st baseman and the batter runner would have been retired if someone was covering the bag or 2) roll between the pitcher and 1st baseman into the area vacated by the second baseman? If #2, I would say hit. If #1, I would say sac and error since batter runner should have been retired with ordinary effort (and there was no mention of a throw to second in the scenario, which brings up the next question.) What if the throw went to second, but not in time to retire runner, yet a throw to first would have been in time to retire batter runner? How would you score it?

 

Pitcher fielded the ball, looked at first, nobody there. Looked at second, too late, runner was already there, no throw. Would have been close but imagine runner would have been out if someone was covering first.

 

correction!

According to NCAA rule 14.3.11, a base hit is credited "when no one covers the base or a fielder is late in covering the base." I also discovered that according to 14.3.8, my DD should have gotten credit for a few more hits in HS ball last year (assuming NCAA softball scoring rules are used in HS). Oh, well. C'est la vie.