Scorekeeper’s guide

How to keep score in baseball or softball

Follow the game one plate appearance at a time. Record what the batter did, where every runner ended up, and how many outs were made. Traditional notation can come next—the game state comes first.

The four-step quick start

You do not need to memorize every scorekeeping symbol before the first pitch.

Set the game. Choose baseball or softball, enter the teams, and set the scheduled innings. Lineups can be complete, partial, or blank.
Record the batter’s result. Start with what happened: hit, walk, strikeout, out in the field, error, sacrifice, or another play.
Place every runner. For the batter and each runner, record whether they advanced, held, scored, or were put out.
Check the line. Confirm runs, outs, and occupied bases before saving. Saving a third-out play moves the scorecard to the next half-inning.

What the scorebook is tracking

A scorecard is the game’s ledger. Each row follows a spot in the batting order; each inning column holds that batter’s plate appearances.

Plate appearance: One batter’s turn at the plate, ending in a hit, walk, out, error, sacrifice, or another result.
Half-inning: The top or bottom of an inning, when one team bats until three outs are recorded.
Line score: Runs by inning, followed by the game totals for runs, hits, and errors.
Runner path: The route a runner took around the bases, including where the runner stopped, scored, or was put out.

Common calls and notation

Use plain language when you are learning. The familiar scorebook code will still be there when you want it.

1B / 2B / 3B — Hit: Single, double, or triple. Put the batter on the matching base, then resolve every other runner.
HR — Home run: Home run. The batter and every runner on base score; the bases clear.
BB / HBP — Batter reaches: Walk or hit by pitch. The batter takes first; advance only runners who are forced.
K / ꓘ — Strikeout: Strikeout swinging or looking. Record one out unless the batter reaches on a dropped third strike.
6–3 / F8 — Out in the field: Groundout from shortstop to first, or flyout to center. Record the out and any runner movement.
E / FC — Reach or out: Error or fielder’s choice. Identify who reached, who was put out, and where the other runners finished.
SF / SAC — Sacrifice: Sacrifice fly or sacrifice bunt. The batter is out; record any runner who advances or scores.
SB / CS — Baserunning: Stolen base or caught stealing. This can happen between plate appearances; update the runner and outs.

Where did the runners end up?

Resolve every runner who was on base before the play, then place the batter.

Scored
Advanced to a base
Held on the same base
Out on the play

Example: single with a runner on second — batter to first; runner from second scores or holds at third. Confirm the choice before saving the play.

The count is optional

Track balls, strikes, fouls, and pitch totals when you want the detail. If you only care about the plate-appearance result, leave the count tracker off and score the play normally.

Baseball and softball use the same scoring rhythm

The basics—innings, outs, hits, runs, errors, and runner movement—work the same way. Scheduled innings, batting-order rules, courtesy runners, run rules, and substitutions can vary, so use the rules for the game in front of you.

Make the call. You can fix it later.

Box Nine previews the score, outs, and bases before a play is saved. Use Undo for the most recent change, or open a recorded play from the Scoring log or scorecard to correct it.

JavaScript is required to open the interactive scorebook.