Scoring in softball is a bit different than scoring in baseball. In softball, the home team bats in the bottom of the inning, regardless of which team is winning. The first team to score 7 runs wins the game, or if the game is tied after 7 innings, the game goes into extra innings until one team wins.
To keep score in softball, you’ll need a scorebook and a pen or pencil. The scorebook will have a section for each inning, and each inning will be divided into two halves, the top of the inning and the bottom of the inning. The top of the inning is when the visiting team bats, and the bottom of the inning is when the home team bats.
To score a run, a player must touch all four bases in order: first base, second base, third base, and home plate. A player can advance around the bases by hitting the ball, being walked, or being hit by a pitch. When a player scores a run, it is called a “run batted in” (RBI). The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins.
Calculating Runs and Innings
In softball, runs are scored when a player successfully advances around all four bases and returns to home plate. Innings are the equivalent of “halves” in baseball. Each game consists of a predetermined number of innings, typically seven or nine.
Scoring Runs
A player scores a run when they touch all four bases (first, second, third, and home) in order and cross home plate. Runs can be scored in various ways, such as by hitting a home run, being walked or hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, or stealing a base while the bases are loaded.
Innings
A softball game is divided into innings. Each inning, the teams alternate between batting and fielding. The team at bat attempts to score runs by hitting the ball and advancing around the bases. The team in the field tries to prevent the other team from scoring runs by catching or throwing out runners and recording outs.
Scoring Runs in More Detail
There are four primary ways to score runs in softball:
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Home run | A player hits the ball over the outfield fence without it touching the ground, allowing them to circle all the bases and score a run. |
| Walk | A player is awarded first base after four pitches outside the strike zone. If the bases are loaded, the batter scores a run. |
| Hit by pitch | A player is awarded first base if they are hit by a pitch. If the bases are loaded, the batter scores a run. |
| Stolen base | A runner on base can attempt to steal a base while the pitcher is delivering a pitch. If successful, they advance to the next base. If the bases are loaded and a runner steals home, they score a run. |
Handling Foul Balls and Strikeouts
### Foul Balls
A foul ball is a batted ball that lands outside the foul lines or goes over the backstop. If a batter hits a foul ball with less than two strikes, the at-bat continues. If a batter hits a foul ball with two strikes, it is considered a strikeout.
### Strikeouts
A strikeout occurs when a batter fails to hit a fair ball after three strikes. There are three types of strikeouts:
- Swinging strikeout: The batter swings at a pitch and misses it.
- Looking strikeout: The batter does not swing at a pitch that crosses the plate in the strike zone.
- Called third strike: The umpire calls a strike on a pitch that the batter does not swing at even though it may be outside the strike zone.
### Determining Strikes
A strike is called when:
- The ball crosses the plate in the strike zone, which is between the batter’s knees and shoulders and within the width of home plate.
- The batter swings at a pitch and misses it (unless the pitch is outside the strike zone).
A ball is called when:
- The ball crosses the plate outside the strike zone.
- The batter does not swing at a pitch that crosses the plate in the strike zone.
### Table of Strikes and Balls
| Strikes | Balls | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0-3 | At-bat continues |
| 1 | 0-3 | At-bat continues |
| 2 | 0-3 | Foul ball: At-bat continues; Strikeout: Batter out |
| 3 | 0 | Strikeout (swinging or looking) |
| 3 | 1-3 | Strikeout (called third strike) |
Scoring Double Plays
When a team successfully turns a double play, they earn two outs. The most common type of double play occurs when a runner on first tries to steal second, and the catcher throws the ball to the shortstop, who tags the runner out. The shortstop then throws the ball to first, where the first baseman tags out the batter.
Other types of double plays can occur when a runner on second tries to steal third, or when a runner on first tries to steal second while a runner is on third.
Stolen Bases
When a runner advances to the next base by stealing, the team earns one stolen base. The runner must successfully steal the base in order for it to count. A runner can be caught stealing if they are tagged out by the catcher or if they are thrown out at the base they are trying to steal.
Scoring Stolen Bases in Different Situations
| Situation | How to Score |
|---|---|
| Runner on first, steals second | 1 SB |
| Runner on second, steals third | 1 SB |
| Runner on first and third, runner on third steals home | 2 SB |
| Runner on first and third, runner on first steals second and runner on third steals home | 3 SB |
