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Scoring rules

How to score a sacrifice fly

A sacrifice fly is a fly ball that is caught for an out while a runner tags up and scores. The batter gives up an out for a run, so the scorebook does not hold it against their average.

The rule

What counts as a sacrifice fly

A batter is credited with a sacrifice fly when all of these are true:

  • there are fewer than two out;
  • the batter hits a fly ball or line drive to the outfield (or to an infielder who has run out into the outfield);
  • it is caught — or dropped, when the runner would have scored after a catch anyway;
  • and a runner scores on it.

With two out, a caught fly ends the inning, so no run can score and there is no sacrifice. A fly that moves a runner from second to third but scores nobody is just a flyout.

On paper

SF in a scorebook

Write SF with the position number of the fielder who caught it — SF8 for a sacrifice fly to centre — and credit the batter with the RBI. The runner’s box shows them scoring on the play.

Do not count it as an at-bat. That is the whole point of scoring it separately from a flyout.

The batter’s line

Is a sacrifice fly an at-bat? No.

A sac fly and a sac bunt are both sacrifices, and neither is an at-bat. They differ on on-base percentage.

StatSacrifice fly (SF)Sacrifice bunt (SH)
Plate appearance (PA)YesYes
At-bat (AB)NoNo
Batting averageNo changeNo change
On-base percentageGoes down — SF is in the OBP denominatorNo change — SH is left out of OBP
RBIYes, for the run that scoresYes, if a run scores on it

On-base percentage is (H + BB + HBP) ÷ (AB + BB + HBP + SF): the sacrifice fly is in the bottom of the fraction and not the top. A sac bunt (SH) is in neither. See SF, SH and OBP in the glossary.

Most slo-pitch rule books do not allow bunting, so in slo-pitch you will see sac flies but not sac bunts. Score That Play has a button for each: Sac Fly (SF) and Sac Bunt (SAC), both under Batter, Outs.

In Score That Play

How to record a sacrifice fly

Four taps. The app credits the sacrifice whenever you choose Sac Fly, so keep it for a fly that scored a run with fewer than two out — otherwise record a Flyout.

  1. 01

    Tap Batter, Outs

    With the batter up and fewer than two out, tap the Batter, Outs button on the scorekeeper screen.

  2. 02

    Tap Sac Fly

    The button is marked SF. The batter is already out; there is no batted-ball step.

  3. 03

    Send the runner home

    On Confirm Runner Outcomes the runner on third shows Stay, because nobody is forced on a caught fly. Tap it and choose Home. Move any other runner who tagged up the same way.

  4. 04

    Confirm Play

    The out is added, the run goes on the board, and the batter is credited with a sacrifice fly and an RBI — and no at-bat.

Worked example

Runner on third, fly to centre

One out, a runner on third. The batter flies out to the centre fielder, and the runner tags up and scores.

Scorebook: SF8 and an RBI for the batter; the runner scores.

Score That Play: Batter, Outs → Sac Fly. On Confirm Runner Outcomes the runner on third shows 3rd → Stay; tap it and choose Home. The batter already shows Out. Tap Confirm Play.

Result: two out, one run in, bases empty. The batter’s line reads 1 PA, 0 AB, 1 SF, 1 RBI — and their batting average has not moved.

Next: how to score a fielder’s choice, or every play the scorekeeping app records.

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