Back:  Scoring Questions
 

The best guide to go by, when a hit-or-error scoring decision comes up, is this:

Would it have been an extra good play if the fielder had handled it well?  If so, score a hit.  Remember that the fielder is required to give ordinary effort, not extraordinary effort, as far as scoring is concerned.   Read rule 10.05 Base Hits

AND

In the many decisions you have to make, on whether to score a play, a hit or an error, there will be some uncertainties.

1.    Does the fielder deserve an error?

2.    Does the batter deserve a hit?

So always remember this:  The Prime guide is: DOES THE FIELDER DESERVE AN ERROR? 

On a bad hop, some may say the batter doesn't deserve a hit, but you score on the fielder's opportunity to handle the ball.  The batter gets the benefit of the quirks that happen to the ball he hits.  (Rule 10.12 and Rule 10.05)  

SACRIFICE BUNTS

There is something about bunting on a sacrifice attempt that confuses some scorers.  The spirit of the rule is that it is a sacrifice if the batter bunts the ball (intentionally) on the ground, well enough to advance all runners on bases.  If the ball is thrown to, say second instead of first, and all runners are safe, it is a sacrifice (and fielder's choice).  The very fact that the runner from first beat the throw to second proves that it is a sacrifice.  If on the throw made to second, the baseman covering second drops the ball, it is still a sacrifice, IF the runner would have been safe had the baseman held the ball,  Otherwise, of course, no sacrifice.

Keep in mind that in 1967 a rule went into effect that a sacrifice is NOT to be scored when (in the judgment of the scorer) the batter is bunting for a base hit and not solely for the purposes of advancing the runner.   Rule 10.08 (a)