We have a printable baseball scorecard in PDF for you to use for free. The scorecard can be used for all levels of play from kid pitch through the pros. I like to use the baseball scoresheet to follow MLB games at home too. It just makes it more fun to follow the action during a game. A number of fans and parents swear by using automated tools like Game Changer, but I find using that with a traditional baseball scorecard is the best way to keep track of a game.
Printable Baseball Scorecard
If you are looking for a printable baseball scorecard in PDF and image format, you’ve come to the right place. Our scorecard is suitable for use at all levels of play to include MLB. If you are printing the PDF to use at a game, I recommend that you print out several sheets in case you need them. Whether you have a team that brings a ton of kids to hit, you spill stuff on your sheet, or Murphy strikes. It’s always good to have more scorecards than you need for the game. This is similar to buying an old schoolbook from Wal-Mart or Dick’s Sporting Goods, except it’s free. You can also checkout this Subredit for all kinds of information on scorecards and cool uses of them.
Defensive Players by the Numbers
Before going over how to keep score in baseball, we need to show you how each position is numbered. If you have not kept score before, these might be new to you, but are key to manually scoring a game. You can see these in the image below. For example, the pitcher is always #1 and the right fielder #9.
Baseball Scorekeeping Abbreviations for the Printable Baseball Scorecard
Here are the common abbreviations used for plays during a baseball game. These come in handy when you’re keeping score.
- 1B = single
- 2B = double
- 3B = triple
- HR = home run
- DP = double play
- FC = fielder’s choice
- E = error
- HBP = hit by pitch
- WP = wild pitch
- PB = passed ball
- RBI = run batted in
- SB = stolen base
- BK = balk (Intermediate 50/70 and above)
How to Keep Score in Baseball?
There are a lot of ways to keep score in baseball. MLB has a pretty simple method that we’ll review for you. It’s definitely not one-stop shopping though. Little League has another way to look at it here. If you have a hitter ground out. Say to the third baseman, write “5-3” in the box on his row for that inning. This shows that he was thrown out at first. Similarly, if he flies out to centerfield, write “FO 8.” If he walks circle BB, and if he or she gets a hit, then circle the corresponding number.
You will want to draw a line from home plate to the base the batter gets to as well. If they score, you will fill in the diamond. The batter who got the RBI will need to be annotated at the lower, center portion of their box on the scoresheet. Every out that is made will require that you note the number of out the batter or runner was in the lower right-hand portion of their box.
At the end of each half inning, you will want to note the number of runs scored at the bottom of the scoresheet. If you are scoring a game where the pitch count is of interest to the coach, you will want to write this down at the end of each half inning as well. At the end of the game, you will total up the runs, hits, errors, and any other stats that you are asked to keep (or want to). If I’m watching something like the World Series, then I’m probably more interested in details than a random Tuesday game.
Keeping Score in Baseball Video Tutorial (Learn Quickly)
I like this guide because it is perfect for the parent or sibling who’s at the ballfield and asked to figure out scorekeeping with 15 mins to go until first pitch. The printable baseball scorecard they use is a little different than what we have here, but all of the concepts are the same. Enjoy!
