Softball Terminology

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TERMINOLOGY

Batting Average	In baseball, the batting average (BA) is defined as the ratio of hits to at bats. BA = Hits/AB's
At Bat	An at bat is counted when: the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a fielder's choice, or the batter is called out for any reason. At bats do not include times at bat when the batter is hit by a pitch, walked, or making a sacrifice.
Hit	In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice. To do this, the batter must reach first base before any fielder can either tag him with the ball, throw to another player protecting the base before the batter reaches it, or tag first base while carrying the ball. The hit is scored the moment the batter reaches first base safely - if the runner is put out while attempting a double or triple on the same play, he still gets credit for the hit. A hit is defined by rule 10.05 of MLB's Official Rules. In cases where a ball takes an unusual bounce, and a fielder might have a chance of throwing the runner out but does not, it is at the official scorer's discretion whether the batter is given a hit or instead reached on an error. Most often, an unusual bounce is considered a hit, as the fielder cannot anticipate the errant bounce and make a play on it. A hit for one base is called a single - the number of singles is equal to the total number of hits minus the number of extra base hits. A home run is also scored as a hit. If a batter reaches first base because of offensive interference by a preceding runner (including if a preceding runner is hit by a batted ball), he is also credited with a hit.
Error	In baseball, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance should have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder. An error is also charged when a fielder fails to catch a foul fly ball that could have been caught with ordinary effort, thus prolonging the batter's plate appearance. An error does not count as a hit and the batter will not be credited for any RBIs when runs are scored—unless, in the scorer's judgment, the batter would have reached first base safely but one or more of the additional base(s) reached was the result of the fielder's mistake. In that case, the play will be scored both as a hit (for the number of bases the fielders should have limited the batter to) and an error. Passed balls and wild pitches are separate statistical categories and are not scored as errors.
Fielder's Choice	In baseball, a fielder's choice is the act of a fielder, upon fielding a batted ball, choosing to try to put out one runner while in so doing allowing the batter to advance to first base. Example: With a runner on first, the batter hits a ground ball to the shortstop. Instead of throwing the batter out at first, the shortstop chooses to throw to second base, making the runner out. The runner is called out, but meanwhile, the batter reaches first base safely. This play is a fielder's choice. A batter who reaches base safely as the result of a fielder's choice is not credited with a hit; he is charged with an out just as if he had been put out himself.
In Field Fly Rule	The infield fly rule applies only when there are fewer than two outs, and there is a force play at third (runners on first and second base, or bases loaded). In these situations, if a fair fly ball is hit that, in the umpire's judgment, is catchable by an infielder with ordinary effort, the batter is out regardless of whether the ball is actually caught in flight. The rule states that the umpire is supposed to announce, "Infield fly, if fair." If the ball will be almost certainly fair, the umpire will likely yell, "Infield fly, batter's out!" or just "Batter's out!" Umpires also typically raise one arm straight up to signal to everyone that the rule is in effect. Any fair fly ball that could have been caught by an infielder with ordinary effort is covered by the rule regardless of where the ball is caught. The ball need not be caught by an infielder, nor must it be caught in the infield.
On Base Percentage	is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference (the latter two are ignored as either times-on-base (TOB) or plate appearances in calculating OBP). On-base percentage is calculated using this formula: $OBP = \frac{H+BB+HBP}{AB+BB+HBP+SF}$ H = Hits BB = Bases on Balls (aka Walks) HBP = times Hit By a Pitch AB = At bats SF = Sacrifice Flies
Out	The batter is out when: the third strike is pitched and caught in flight; on any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs; he bunts foul with two strikes; he is hit by his own fair ball, outside of the batter's box, before the ball is played by a fielder; he commits interference; he fails to bat in his proper turn; he hits a pitch with a foot entirely outside of the batter's box; he steps from one batter's box to the other when the pitcher is ready to pitch;
Slugging Average	In baseball statistics, slugging percentage/average is a popular measure of the power of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats: $SLG = \frac{(\mathit{1B}) + (2 \times \mathit{2B}) + (3 \times \mathit{3B}) + (4 \times \mathit{HR})}{AB}$ where AB is the number of at-bats for a given player, and 1B, 2B, 3B, and HR are the number of singles, doubles, triples, and home runs, respectively. Walks are specifically excluded from this calculation.
Squeeze Play	In baseball, a squeeze play is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third and fewer than two outs. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out at first base, but hoping that the runner from third will be able to score.
Safety Squeeze	The runner at third takes off when the batter makes contact, and hopes that the ball will go to a location from which it will be difficult for the fielding team to make a play at the plate.
Suicide Squeeze	The runner takes off during the pitch, even before the pitcher has released the ball. This will likely make a play at the plate impossible if the batter makes any kind of contact at all, but it means that the runner will almost certainly be out if the batter fails to make contact. Hence the batter must try to hit the ball, even if the pitch is wildly out of the strike zone, so this play requires a more skilled bunter. These plays may be used in the late innings of a close game in order to score a winning or tying run.
Earned Run	In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable (i.e. the run did not score as a result of a fielding error or a passed ball). If a run is not earned, it is an unearned run. Even if a runner scores on a fielding error by the pitcher himself, it is an unearned run. In determining earned runs, the official scorer must reconstruct the inning as it would have occurred without the errors (which include catcher's interference) and passed balls, with the benefit of the doubt always being given to the pitcher in determining which bases would have been reached by errorless play. A run is counted as unearned when: The baserunner would have been out had an error not been committed. The run is scored after an error is committed that would have made the third out A baserunner scores on a play where an error was committed, and the inning ends before that runner would have had a chance to score. Example: A passed ball allows a runner to score. The batter at the plate then strikes out to end the inning. The run is unearned. If the batter had instead got a base hit, the run would be earned, since the runner would have scored on that play. In most other cases, a run is scored as an earned run.
Earned Run Average	In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by multiplying the number of earned runs allowed by nine and dividing by the number of innings pitched.
RBI	An RBI is a run scored because of: 1) a safe hit; 2) a sac bunt; 3) a sac fly; 4) an infield putout or fielder's choice; 5) a runner forced home because of a hit batter or walked batter; 6) a home run and all runs scored as a result.
Sacrifice Fly	A sacrifice fly is scored when, with fewer than 2 outs, the batter scores a runner with a fly ball or line drive that is: caught, OR dropped by any fielder and the runner could have scored after the catch, had the fly ball or line drive been caught.
On Base Average	how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference (the latter two are ignored as either times-on-base [TOB] or plate appearances in calculating OBP). OBP is added to slugging average to determine on-base plus slugging (OPS).

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