Baseball, by the Rules

Intro

Play Ball!

Introduction

Play Ball!

For more examples, click here, though disclaimer: there's no foolproof manner of filtering out infield singles, so some of those will have snuck through.

Single through the Infield

A batter advancing to first base on a base hit, no matter where the ball is hit, and provided there's no error on the play, is called a "single". There are a lot of variables that can add up to a ground ball single, mostly revolving around where the ball is hit, how hard the ball is hit, where the defenders are positioned, etc.

When there are runners on, and the batter hits a ground ball through the infield, the fielders usually start to worry about those other baserunners, especially if they started out at second or third base. Those bases are collectively known as “scoring position,” on the idea that runners who start there can usually score on a base hit— such as a single that rolls through the infield. Any runner on third should be able to score about 99.9% of the time on a single; runners on second can frequently score as well, but it depends on how fast they are, how quickly an outfielder can get to the ball, and how strong that outfielder’s throwing arm is. You will often see plays at home plate, or other bases, unfolding from this scenario. Often times, this gives the batter/runner (and other runners) an opportunity to move up. If the batter/runner advances to second while the ball is being thrown in pursuit of another runner, they are not credited with a double; rather, the play goes as a single, with the extra base being gained on the throw.

Copyright 2026, Tony Forbes

Disclaimer

Acknowledgements

© 2026, Tony Forbes

Disclaimer

Acknowledgements