Earned Run (Or Not?)

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Jun 1, 2015
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I feel like I should know the answer to this, but I'm blanking out here - USSSA rule set.

Pitcher pitches the ball, ball goes to the backstop (passed ball), richocets off the backstop, and rolls over/into dead ball territory. A runner is on 3B at the time of the pitch. Because of the ball rolling to dead, she scores.

Is this run an earned or unearned run against the pitcher?

Thanks everyone for the assistance. =)
 
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
You could likely make an argument either way just because of the way the ball was traveling. If the ball is cleanly caught, then no, the runner stays at 3B. So in that case, I'm thinking the run would be UNearned because then the runner didn't cleanly cross the plate based on her choice, she did it because of the pitcher's mistake and the ball going to dead.
 
Oct 26, 2019
1,375
113
You could likely make an argument either way just because of the way the ball was traveling. If the ball is cleanly caught, then no, the runner stays at 3B. So in that case, I'm thinking the run would be UNearned because then the runner didn't cleanly cross the plate based on her choice, she did it because of the pitcher's mistake and the ball going to dead.
No I meant - what happened after the runner scored on the passed ball. If the next batter got out and ended the inning then it’s probably unearned. If the next batter got a hit that would have scored the runner anyway then it is earned.
 
Oct 26, 2019
1,375
113
To determine earned and unearned runs you have to replay the inning as if the error didn’t happen and ask yourself if the run would have scored had the error not been made.
 
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
This happened twice in my team's game this evening (stupid shallow backstop). In both cases, more than likely, the runner would've likely scored based on future actions within the inning. So in those cases, I'd likely rule it unearned (since it would've been earned based on future actions without scoring on the specific play). It doesn't make a major difference either way - I do this for my girls for their end-of-season stats and I like them to be as close to accurate as possible.
 
Oct 24, 2010
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No I meant - what happened after the runner scored on the passed ball. If the next batter got out and ended the inning then it’s probably unearned. If the next batter got a hit that would have scored the runner anyway then it is earned.
Unless the runner reached base on error or the inning should have already been over. The OP didn't specify.
To determine earned and unearned runs you have to replay the inning as if the error didn’t happen and ask yourself if the run would have scored had the error not been made.
This is the correct answer. Every time.
 
Last edited:
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
In neither case would the next batter have been the final out of the inning as there were no outs on the field each time the occurrences happened. I think I've got it figured out - I try to do my stats for my girls for the end of the season and I want them to be as close to accurate as possible, that's all. Just a lowly rec coach trying to be helpful to my girls.
 

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