Sacrifice Fly or Not?

by Tim
(Minnesota)

Tim asked: There is a runner on third with one out.

The batter hits a shallow fly to right field and it's caught. The runner returns to third with no intention of trying to score.

The right fielder throws the ball back to the pitcher but it goes over the pitcher's head and into the 3rd base dugout.

The runner scores on the ball being out-of-play.

Is this scored as a sacrifice fly?

Rick answered: Tim, thank you for your question.

No sacrifice fly on this one. When the runner returned to third and makes no attempt to score, the continuance of that play has stopped.

The scoring would go as a F-9, E-9, runner scores, no RBI.

On the baseball side of this, you have come upon one of those situations that are why outfielders should always hit their cutoff man, not just throw the ball back into the middle of the infield. Even if the runner is not tagging to run, hit the cutoff, which in this case is the 1b. If you miss him, you still have the catcher as a backup.

The pitcher should have been behind home plate. Had he been, the outfielder would not have made that throw, run doesn't score.

Yours in baseball,

Rick