Sac Bunt or Fielder's Choice?

Anonymous asked: Batter attempts a sac bunt to score runner on 3rd. Pitcher fields the bunt throws to catcher (runner is safe); catcher then throws to first to get the runner, but runner is safe by inches. Batter would have been out if pitcher had thrown to first. Do you score this a sac bunt or a fielder's choice? Our scorekeeper gave the batter a hit; not sure how they determined this.

Rick answered: Thank you for your question!

Rule 9-3 Player's batting record:
Section 3- Article 2...A base hit is credited to a batter when he advances to first safely:

c. because of a fielder's choice, when a fielder attempts to put out another runner but is unsuccessful and the scorer believes the batter/runner would have reached first base even with perfect fielding.

In your scenario, for the batter to have been credited with a base hit, the scorer would have to have decided the batter would have been safe at first, even if the pitcher had come up with the ball cleanly and thrown to first in time.

From your description on how close it was at first, even after the play at the plate, the ruling should have been a fielder's choice.

Scoring situations can get interesting, a lot of room for interpretation or judgement.

Yours in baseball,

Rick