Baseball Scorecard

This scorecard tracks nine batters across nine innings with columns for at-bats, runs, hits, RBI, and walks. The bottom section records inning-by-inning run totals for both teams. Print it as an image or copy the table to a spreadsheet for digital use.

Scorekeeping uses shorthand so you can record plays in real time without falling behind the action. Every fielding position has a number (1 through 9), and every type of hit, out, or baserunning event has a standard abbreviation. Once you memorize these, scoring becomes automatic.

Position Numbers

Position numbers are the foundation of scorekeeping notation. A "6-3" putout means the shortstop (6) threw to the first baseman (3). A "4-6-3" double play means the second baseman fielded it, flipped to the shortstop, who threw to first.

Scoring Abbreviations

These abbreviations cover the most common plays. Some scorekeepers add personal shortcuts, but the symbols below are universally understood at every level from Little League to MLB.

For a deeper look at how these abbreviations connect to player evaluation, see our baseball tryout evaluation form which uses similar skill categories.

Scoring a baseball game is straightforward once you know the abbreviations. Each batter gets a cell in the scorecard grid where you record what happened during their at-bat. Here is the process, broken down by situation.

Recording Hits

Write the hit type in the batter's cell for that inning. A single to left field becomes "1B" with an optional note about direction (e.g., "1B 7" means a single fielded by the left fielder). For extra-base hits, mark how far the runner advanced: "2B" for a double, "3B" for a triple, "HR" for a home run.

Recording Outs

Outs use position numbers to show who made the play. A routine ground ball to shortstop thrown to first is "GO 6-3". A fly ball caught by the center fielder is "FO 8". A strikeout swinging is "K", while a called strikeout (looking) is "Kc" or a backwards K in traditional notation.

Recording Baserunning

Track runners by drawing lines or writing abbreviations in the at-bat cell of the batter who moved them. A stolen base is "SB", caught stealing is "CS". When a runner scores, circle the run indicator or draw a line through the diamond in the cell to show the runner touched home plate.

End-of-Inning Totals

After three outs, count the runs scored that inning and record them in the Inning Runs section at the bottom. At the end of the game, tally each batter's stats: count their at-bats (exclude walks, HBP, sacrifice bunts, and sacrifice flies), runs, hits, RBI, and walks.

Reading scoring notation in the abstract only goes so far. Here is a complete half-inning scored play by play, so you can see how each abbreviation works in context.

Top of the 3rd Inning

Inning summary: 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors. Record "1" in the 3rd-inning column of the Inning Runs row.

A baseball scorebook(opens in new tab) is a permanent record of how a game unfolded. While the box score tells you the final numbers, the scorecard captures the sequence: who batted when, how runs scored, which fielders made key plays.

Coaching Applications

Coaches use scorecards to spot patterns that box scores miss. If your leadoff hitter reaches base in four out of five innings but only scores once, the scorecard reveals where the offense stalls. If the opposing pitcher gives up hits to left-handed batters in the 4th inning onward, you can plan pinch-hit matchups accordingly.

Youth coaches find scorecards especially useful for equal playing time tracking and lineup decisions. Recording who played which positions and how many at-bats each player received keeps your program fair and transparent to parents.

Fan and Parent Use

Keeping score as a fan turns passive watching into active engagement. Parents who score their child's games build a detailed record of development over a season. You can look back at April's scorecard and see concrete improvement by July: fewer strikeouts, more walks drawn, better plate discipline reflected in the notation.

Paper scorecards have worked since 1859, and they still work for casual games and tournaments where simplicity matters. Digital tools add calculation, sharing, and long-term tracking that paper cannot match.

When Paper Works Best

• Single games where you want a physical keepsake
• Tournaments with limited phone battery or connectivity
• Teaching new scorekeepers who learn faster with pencil and eraser
• Rec league games where full stat tracking is not needed

When Digital Tools Add Value

• Season-long stat tracking across 20+ games
• Multi-team programs comparing stats across rosters
• Sharing game data with assistant coaches and parents
• Calculating averages, OBP, and other derived stats automatically

For programs that track player development beyond game stats, platforms like Striveon connect game performance data with practice evaluations and skill assessments. Explore how Striveon tracks athlete performance across games and practices.