Scorekeeper Training

February 24, 2022

What to Expect

• Home team must have a scorekeeper
• Use St. Hedwig provided scorebook, found in the snack shack
• Recommend 1 person official scorekeeper, 1 person scoreboard operator
• Recommend sitting near the umpire by home plate
• Obtain umpire signature after game and return book to snack shack

PONY Requirements

• Game Start Time
• Official Batting Lineup
• Official Batting Count
• Official Pitch Count
• By Pitcher
• Official Run Count
• Official Out Count
• Official Inning Track

Batting Lineup

• Obtain line up from coaches and write players names
• All divisions all players bat; no substitutes
• Do not need to note defensive position
• Speak up if players are out of order
• Refer to the rule book for special cases like arriving late, leaving early, sick, injury
• Positive experience at St. Hedwig

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• Tip: at the end of the inning, pencil out the rest of the inning

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Game Start Time

• Start time is the first warm up pitch thrown by the first pitcher
• Important due to drop dead game time and no new inning times:
• Bronco: 2:15 no new inning; 2:30 drop dead
• Mustang: 2:00 no new inning; 2:15 drop dead
• Pinto: 1:45 no new inning; 2:00 drop dead

Batting Count

• Batting Count is each batter’s count
• Use boxes on each box to help keep track.
• 3 boxes for balls (4^th ball would be a walk)
• 2 boxes for strikes (3^rd strike would be a strike out)
• Fouls are strikes on Strike 1 and 2
• Example would be a 1-2 count
• Do not correct the umpire
• Only provide input if you are asked
• You are always right!

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Pitch Count

• The pitch count is each pitcher’s total pitch count
• PONY is strict about the number of pitches each player can pitch per game
• You are only responsible for pitch count, not knowing if a player is at risk / over
• Every playable pitch can count including 3^rd strike foul balls
• Warm up pitches do not count
• Can tally each inning or use the counter in the book
• Tip: Mark 3^rd strike foul balls
• Pinto: Be sure to not count coach pitches if 4 balls
• Can use a clicker if easier
• Pitch count limits: Bronco 75 pitches for 4 innings; Mustang 60 pitches for 3 innings; Pinto 50 pitches for 2 innings. Any appearance in an inning counts as an inning

Run, Out, and Inning Count

• Runs and Outs
• When a player gets on base, track the their progress on the baseball diamond
• When a player scores and called safe by the umpire, fill in the diamond
• When a player is called out by the umpire, circle the out number
• In my example, I can see that the first batter was out, batters 2-4 eventually scored, batters 5 and 6 were on base, and batters 7 and 8 were out to show 3 runs and 3 outs
• Pinto has a 4 run mercy inning for innings 1-4 and unlimited runs innings 5-6
• Mustang has a 4 run mercy inning for innings 1-4 and unlimited runs innings 5-6
• Bronco has no mercy innings and can play for 7 innings

Tracking Additional Data

• While not required, it can be nice to score the official offensive and defensive stats.
• Defense:
• Note the out
• Examples:
• F-9 = fly out to right field
• 4-3 = grounder to 2^nd base thrown to 1^st base
• L-5 = Line drive caught by the 3^rd baseman
• 3U = unassisted out by the 1^st baseman
• Double plays noted on the box
• Strike Outs noted as a K for swinging and backwards K looking
• Get as in depth as you’d like!

Tracking Additional Data

• Offense
• If a player makes it on base, circle how:
• 1B = single
• 2B = double
• 3B = triple
• HR = homerun
• BB = walk
• Do not worry about errors; can give some grace in what you decide to select
• Ds indicates a dropped third strike (super fun rule to read up on Bronco and Mustang parents!)
• Stealing, Wild Pitches, etc.. Get as in depth as you’d like!
• Example indicates player had a full count (3-2) and hit a double on 8 total pitches!

Takeaways

• Have fun!
• Get as in depth as you would like but only worry about the PONY requirements
• Feel free to ask the umpire for clarification on any out, pitch, etc.

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• THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING!! Our league succeeds because of YOU!