Scorekeeping Instructions for Minors level and Above
General Notes for Central Saanich Little League:
- All games (Minors and Up) must be score kept. All non-coach parents are required to do their part to ensure score keeping takes place.
- Score sheets must be left in the clubhouse at D5 (Minors-Majors) or D6 (Junior-Senior) and pitcher eligibility forms must be maintained by Team Manager or Team Coordinator – these are the official records of games played and will be used to determine if players have qualified to try out for post season All Star Teams. As well, if pitchers are “eligible to pitch”. Opposing Coaches or league officials may inquire during games and these records must be available and up to date.
- For all Diamonds that have a score booth, scorekeepers must be stationed in the score shack (not the bleachers).
Scorekeeping is just shorthand for what occurred during the ball game. The statistics obtained from the scorekeeping sheets can provide valuable information to the coaches. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the numbers representing position on the field (ie: codes). These numbers are used to record many events.
| 1 | Pitcher | 6 | Short Stop | |
| 2 | Back Catcher | 7 | Left Field | |
| 3 | First Base | 8 | Center Field | |
| 4 | Second Base | 9 | Right Field | |
| 5 | Third Base | A | Alternate |
STEP 1 – PLAYER LINE-UPS
Obtain the batting line-up from the coaches. They should have this ready 15-30 minutes prior to game start
The line-up should have:
- Child’s full name – or, if space is an issue first initial and full last name
- Uniform number
- Position playing (1-9) – if in starting line-up
- Players injured or absent should be clearly marked at the bottom of the line-up sheet
- Also, make sure you have the pitching log (BB only) from Team Manager to keep a pitching record.
STEP 2 – RULES TO BE AWARE OF
MINOR Baseball:
- Games are 6 innings long – 4 full innings constitutes a game if the entire game cannot be completed.
- There is a three run limit per inning
- No player can sit more than one inning in a row and all players must sit before players sit again.
- Must complete and maintain a pitching log with the completed team score sheets
MAJOR Baseball:
- Games are 6 innings long – 4 full innings constitutes a game if the entire game cannot be completed.
- There is a four run limit per inning until the last inning (determined by the umpire). The last inning is open. The team must get 3 outs.
- Check if the runs ahead rule is in effect. The decision about implementation of the runs ahead rule is decided by District 7 each year. The runs ahead rule is a spread of 10 runs or more after 4 innings.
- No player can sit more than one inning in a row and all players must sit before players sit again.
- Must complete and maintain a pitching log with the completed team score sheets
JUNIOR-SENIOR Baseball:
- Games are 7 innings long – 5 full innings constitutes a game if the entire game cannot be completed.
- There is a five run limit per inning until the last inning (determined by the umpire). The last inning is open. The team must get 3 outs.
- Check if the runs ahead rule is in effect. The decision about implementation of the runs ahead rule is decided by District 7 each year. The runs ahead rule is a spread of 10 runs or more after 4 innings.
- No player can sit more than one inning in a row and all players must sit before players sit again.
- Must complete and maintain a pitching log with the completed team score sheets
STEP 3 – FORMS
MINOR and above:
- Must use the large triplicate score sheet, provided by home park. Keep the completed original and give duplicate to opposing team’s scorekeeper – make sure to collect the duplicate from the opposing team’s scorekeeper as well.
- Completed sheets must be placed in the appropriate clubhouse (D5-Minors/Majors or D6-Junior/Senior) – these are the official records of games played and will be used to determine if players have qualified to try out for post season All Star Teams.
Resources
STARTING TO SCOREKEEP
- Fill in the team names, park, and date at the top of the sheet.
- Using the batting line-up – list players in order given and record uniform # and position #.
- Fill in the summary area – visitors on top and home on the bottom.
PLAY BALL
- As each child comes to bat, your job is to record what happened at bat and on the field. There are codes recorded on the right side of all the score sheets. Beside each batter’s name, record what each pitch was. These stats are valuable to the coaches.
- If a run scores – colour in the diamond – this makes it easier to see the runs.
- If there are other runners on base, advance them as well.
CODES:
| 0 or B | Ball | |
| X or S | Strike | (line over letter if swing was made) |
| H | Hit ball | Ball is hit, play is made |
| K | Strike out | Backwards K if batter did not swing at strike three |
| FC | Fielder’s Choice | Ball is hit, out could have been made – fielders decide to put another player out |
| SH | Bunt | typically the bunter is put out but the other runners advance on base |
| BB | Base on balls | batter is walked |
| IF | Infield Fly | runners at first and second and less that 2 out.. The umpire will make this call. |
| E | Error |
OPTIONAL – The batter gets a hit – record the type of hit (1B, 2B, etc) and draw a line from the home plate to the 1st base on the base path (continue line to 2nd if a 2B).
However, if they get a single and then advance to 2nd on a throwing error – you should record two separate events (1B and E? (Whoever threw it)).
Team Managers will advise if they want the following:
- Keep track of the RBI’s (runs batted in) – if a child at bat advances another runner on base so that they score then the child who batted gets an RBI.
- Keep track of base advancement – whether it is a stolen base, wild pitch, or errors.
- Keep track of errors – this is judgmental to some extent. An obvious example – 2nd base throws to 1st base and the throw has a good chance of beating the runner, BUT the throw is way over the 1st baseman’s head – this would be E4, not a 1B hit.
RECORDING OUTS
- Mark the base where a player goes out with an “x”.
- Mark “1”, “2” or “3” for each out in the appropriate column.
- Optional – Outs are recorded to show who made them (use field positions numbers) e.g.: throw from SS to 1st base – 6-3 (recorded in out column) – C catches the ball – 8, etc.
- Draw a line underneath the name of the last player who batted. When your team is at bat, you will start with the next batter and one column over.
- AFTER EACH PLAY, scan the field and make sure that your score sheet exactly matches the field.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Little League uses a continuous batting order so no substitutions are necessary to the lineup
STATISTICS
- We do not keep statistics at CSLL. However, you must keep track of the pitching. Use the Game Pitch Log to track number of pitches thrown for each pitcher. Transfer the information along with number of innings pitched to the Pitcher Eligibility Tracking Form at the end of the game. These forms are available in the clubhouse.
GAME OVER – YOU SURVIVED!
- Sign the score sheet.
- Ensure that the umpire signs the score sheet – keep the original and give duplicate to opposing team’s scorekeeper.
- Ensure that the umpire signs the pitching record as well.
ADDITIONAL DUTIES
ON D5 and D6:
- Run the lights/scoreboard – usually the scorekeeper from the opposing team will do this while you are scorekeeping for your team, and vice-versa. Instructions for scoreboard operation are available in the respective score shacks.
- Music systems are provided for everyone’s enjoyment. Keep music language and volume appropriate. We have a ZERO tolerance for swearing.