How is this recorded in the book?

[DrHeat]

Runners on 1st and 2nd. Less than two out. Batter (avg speed) sneaky bunts ball hard to 3B. 3B tries to beat girl on second to 3rd but doesn't. Everyone safe. Scorekeeper records a hit for the batter. (I think it should have been sac bunt with FC)

Two innings later, exact same situation, and batter bunts ball back to pitcher who throws hard to second baseman covering first, and second baseman makes fielding error, ball gets past right fielder also. Both runners score and batter winds up on third after throw to the plate. Again scorekeeper records a hit for the batter. (I think it should have been sac bunt with error)

[Wooahhhh]

I believe the first play should be recorded as a FC, fielder's choice. Since the fielder made the play to 3rd that makes it a FC. If she doesn't make an effort to cover a bag, or acts like she's going to 3rd or 1st but doesn't, and the runners are safe, then it would be a hit. But the simple act of running to the 3rd base bag to try and make an out and makes it a FC.

On the second play, the throw, or subsequent misplayed ball off the glove should be ruled an error.

[hit4power]

My trusty rusty ATEC scoring manual says the first sitch should go as a sac bunt:

"Score a sacrifice bunt when: with less than two outs the defense, without error, fails to get the lead out on any type of bunt"

Also, ATEC says the second sitch should have been scored a sac bunt assuming the throw was in time to get the BR had F4 not made an error:

"when with less than two outs, a batter advances one or more runners by bunting and is called out at first base or would have been out had no error occurred."

[nohesitation]

Runners on 1st and 2nd. Less than two out. Batter (avg speed) sneaky bunts ball hard to 3B. 3B tries to beat girl on second to 3rd but doesn't. Everyone safe. Scorekeeper records a hit for the batter. (I think it should have been sac bunt with FC)

Two innings later, exact same situation, and batter bunts ball back to pitcher who throws hard to second baseman covering first, and second baseman makes fielding error, ball gets past right fielder also. Both runners score and batter winds up on third after throw to the plate. Again scorekeeper records a hit for the batter. (I think it should have been sac bunt with error)

In the first situation I would score it a Sac-bunt.
Draw a line in the book where the bunt went and put a note to the side about attempting to get the runner at 3rd, if you wish. The batter advanced the runners (without error), so she needs to get credit for that in the stats formula. You can’t score a FC and Sac Bunt for the same “plate appearance” (PA) it would be one or the other. FC is an “official at bat” (OAB) and Sac bunt is not.


In the second situation I would score it a FC.
The runner at second would have been out with a good catch so there is no Sac bunt. Or another way to put it is the sac bunt failed except for the error on the lead runner. (If the error was at first, then she gets the SB). You could score the first run on the F4 error and the second run on the F8 error.
Again, you can’t score the PA as a sac bunt and an error, again because SB is not an OAB and an error is an OAB.

[nohesitation]

Sorry, I just reread the second situation and both are sac-bunts.

[PDad]

...You can’t score a FC and Sac Bunt for the same “plate appearance” (PA) it would be one or the other. FC is an “official at bat” (OAB) and Sac bunt is not.

...Again, you can’t score the PA as a sac bunt and an error, again because SB is not an OAB and an error is an OAB.

Scorekeepers have to record all errors and are supposed to account for every base reached/advanced. Both plate appearances are recorded as Sac Bunt with an additional notation of FC/E4 respectively for the BR reaching 1B. The error has to be recorded as part of the play because it affects determining earned runs.