How does baseball scoring work?

Updated: 04 February, 2026

A complete guide to how runs are scored in baseball. Covers innings, types of hits, home runs, and common scoring scenarios.

Article Contents

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the world, and while its scoring system is unique, it shares some similarities with other field sports like cricket and softball. For beginners, baseball scoring can be quite confusing. But with a little bit of guidance, it's actually quite simple. In this article, we'll explore the basics of baseball scoring, and give you all the information you need to understand how it works.

A baseball pitch see from above A baseball pitch

The basic aim in baseball is for players to score by hitting the ball and running all 4 bases to end up back on the home plate. Let's go into the details of how this scoring system works.

Innings

An inning is simply a period of play. Each inning has 2 halves, called the "top" and "bottom". The top half of the inning is when the visiting team (aka "road team") bats and can score, while the bottom half is when the home team bats and scores. When a team is not batting, they have nine position players who defend, called fielders.

The number of innings in a game varies by level, similar to how softball and other sports adjust game length based on competition level. If you're organizing softball games, you can use our softball scoreboard to track innings and scores digitally.

In Major League Baseball, a game is played over nine innings.
In the minor leagues, a game is played over seven innings.
In high school and college baseball, a game is played over seven innings.
In Little League, a game is played over six innings.

Baseball Glove

In the event of a tie after the standard number of innings, extra innings are played until one team scores more runs, similar to overtime. During extra innings, teams alternate between batting and fielding. If the visiting team gains the lead in the top half of an extra inning, the home team has the opportunity to tie or take the lead during their turn at bat in the bottom half. Conversely, if the home team takes the lead in the bottom half of an extra inning, the game immediately ends, as the away team no longer has a chance to score before the inning concludes. Walk-off hits are game-ending hits that occur during the bottom of the ninth inning or extra innings.

How to Score in Baseball

A baseball diamond seen from above The baseball diamond where scoring takes place

In baseball, scoring revolves around players successfully hitting the ball and running the bases. To understand this process better, let's first look at the different types of hits a batter can achieve.

Types of Hits

Single: Batter reaches first base safely
Double: Batter reaches second base safely
Triple: Batter reaches third base safely
Home Run: Batter hits the ball out of the playing field in fair territory

Scoring a Run

The pitcher throws the ball, and the batter attempts to hit it into the field of play.
If successful, the batter becomes a runner and tries to reach first base.
The runner must touch each base in order: first, second, third, and finally home plate.
If the runner touches all bases and returns to home plate before the fielders get the ball there, he scores a run for his team.

Home Runs Explained

A home run occurs when the batter hits the ball out of the playing field in fair territory. This automatically scores a run for the batter and any runners already on base.

Types of home runs: - Solo home run: No runners on base (1 run) - Two-run homer: One runner on base (2 runs) - Three-run homer: Two runners on base (3 runs) - Grand slam: Bases loaded (4 runs—the maximum possible on a single play)

Common Scoring Scenarios Explained

Let's walk through typical ways runs are scored in baseball:

The Solo Home Run

Batter hits ball over outfield fence
Touches all bases in order
Result: 1 run scored

Multiple Runners Scoring

Bases loaded situation (runners on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd)
Batter hits double to outfield
Two runners score, one advances to third
Result: 2 runs scored

Small Ball Scoring

Runner on first base
Batter bunts successfully
Next batter singles to outfield
Runner scores from second
Result: 1 run scored

Sacrifice Fly

Runner on third base with less than two outs
Batter hits a fly ball deep enough to the outfield
Fielder catches the ball (batter is out)
Runner tags up and scores after the catch
Result: 1 run scored, 1 out recorded

This player has just scored a run in Baseball A close play at home plate

Other Ways to Score

Not every run comes from a hit. Runners can also score via:

Walk with bases loaded: Four balls to the batter pushes the runner home from third
Hit by pitch with bases loaded: Same result as a walk
Wild pitch or passed ball: Runner advances on an errant throw
Balk: Pitcher makes an illegal motion; all runners advance one base
Error: Fielding mistake allows runners to advance and score
Fielder's choice: Runner scores while defense gets an out elsewhere

How Scoring Appears on the Scoreboard

A detailed baseball scoreboard showing innings, R-H-E, batter count, and outs Every run, hit, and error gets tracked inning by inning on the scoreboard

All those runs and hits are recorded on the scoreboard as they happen. The inning-by-inning line score shows exactly when each team scored, and the R-H-E columns give the totals at a glance. Want to understand everything displayed on a baseball scoreboard? Check out our dedicated guide: Baseball scoreboard explained.

Using Scoreboard Software

For teams and leagues operating on a budget, software-based scoring solutions offer an excellent alternative to expensive permanent scoreboards. By combining scoring software with standard hardware like a TV or projector, any organization can create a professional-looking scoring display.

An online baseball scoreboard A baseball scoreboard from KeepTheScore with 2 different layouts

KeepTheScore provides a dedicated baseball scoreboard that can be managed from any location using a mobile phone or tablet, allowing scorekeepers to maintain accurate scoring while moving around the field or operating from a press box.