Head-to-Head Games (Minors & Majors):

• The HOME TEAM is the official scorer unless they choose to defer scoring to the AWAY team.
  
• You will need to be a “staff member” of your team to score the Head-to-Head game.
  
• To begin scoring, go to the League page on GC, select “Schedule”, select the game, then “Score Head to Head” Game. 
•  The AWAY Team may select the game and score it after the Home Team has started scoring through their team page if they want to, but they do not have to. Do not begin scoring a game as the AWAY team until the HOME team has begun scoring.

Setting up the Game:

• My team: The lineup may already be set by your coach, if not, select “add from bench” and select players in order of the batting order. 
•  Opponent: Use the coach’s lineup card and “add from bench” in order of the batting order.  You may be able to scan the opposing team's lineup using a QR code if the opposing team has already prepared their roster in GameChanger.
  
• Make sure all of your team members have their jersey numbers in their player profile prior to the first game. You can add jersey numbers as a “staff member”. 
• DO NOT MANUALLY CREATE PLAYERS - this will duplicate records for each player and requires GC support to undo.
  
• Helpful tip: To remove a player from the lineup press the 3 lines at the right of the batters name, click remove from lineup, leave empty.  Then you will be able to delete the player from the lineup.  To move a player up or down in the order, hold the three lines and drag up/down to where the player needs to go.
  
• Helpful tip: If the coach doesn’t give your own copy of their lineup card, take a picture of it to reference if needed during the game.

Starting the Game Clock:

• You will need to opt into the Game Clock in the “Menu” then “Settings” tab, and choose count up or count down. You will only have to opt in once. Once you have opted in you will see a timer in the bottom left corner of the score screen.  At the end of the plate meeting with the umpires & coaches, the start time will be announced. Click on the timer and select “start clock”.

Scoring the Game:

• During warm-ups between innings, tap positions to put players in a position or to make changes.
  
• Tap on the “Pitch” ball to get the play screen
  
• Record balls/strikes/strikes swinging/foul.  Be very accurate of pitch count.
• For a “ball in play”, select the type of contact, then either batter out, or single/double/triple etc.
• Drag the fielder to where the ball was fielded and tap the glove(s) where the ball was thrown
• Dropped 3rd strike (won’t be an option if 1st base is occupied and less than two outs)
• Drag runners for steals/pickoff attempts
• Know the difference between a passed ball/wild pitch.
• If it is not a force out, and the runner did not advance with a play, drag the runner back to the base and select “did not advance”.
• For a fly ball “out” with less than two outs, drag the runner to the base if they advanced and select “tagged up”. Similarly, if they did not tag up you can drag them “out” and select did not tag.
• Sacrifice Fly and Sacrifice Bunt will automatically bring the runner on 3rd home to score.

Notes/Tips:

• If you are unsure of the count, check with the umpire, or ask for a brief pause to catch up if there is a complicated play or a change in the play based on appeal.
• GC can be delayed with what other people see.  As the official scorekeeper, you should let your coach know when pitchers are nearing a pitch count limit.
• The spray chart in the bottom right corner of the score screen shows you what the batter did in their previous times at bat.
• Helpful Hint: If GC freezes on you or you are having trouble getting into the game to score it, sign out and then sign back in.
• Helpful Hint: Ask other parents around you if you are unsure of something, especially when scoring an error or if you didn’t see the full play.
• Helpful Hint: Have paper/pens with you so if you get stuck for a minute someone can record on paper balls/strikes/plays while you catch up.  If you need a minute it is okay to ask the umpire for a pause to catch up if you are the official scorer.
• Helpful Hint: Break plays down step by step.  

Ex. A batter hits a line drive to right field, gets to first and then heads to 2nd base, and gets thrown out at 2nd base: first break the play down to a single line drive to right field, and then drag the player to 2nd base and select “out on last play”.

Ex. A ground ball is hit to the center fielder, but then it rolls between their legs and the single hit turns into a double: first score a single ground ball to center, and then advance to 2nd base on a fielding error by the center fielder.

Uncommon Plays:

• Fielder’s choice when runner is on third: first step is to determine what happened at home plate.  If the run didn’t score then you have to select “back” first at home plate, and then select which runners were safe/out.
• Offensive Interference: Drag the runner on base “out” and select offense interference. Ex. Runner on 1st, batter hits a ground ball to short stop, short throws it to 2nd who tags the base for the force out, runner doesn’t slide into 2nd causing offensive interference and blocking the double play.  First score the initial ball in play (Fielder’s choice from SS to 2nd to 1st, score the out, then drag the runner on 1st base “out” and select offensive interference.
• Batter’s Interference (Select Ball in play, pick a type of contact, at very bottom)
• Catcher’s Interference (On ball/strike screen towards bottom)
  
• Infield fly: batter out, then infield fly.(Will only be an option if infield fly rules apply)
• Runner caught stealing, but another runner scores at home prior to the “out”.  Drag the runner that scored home first, then drag the other runner “out”.
• Extra Inning / California tiebreaker: Tap the 2nd base, select place runner on base, then select the correct runner.
  

Errors:

• The official scorer's decisions on hits & errors are final. If you are the official scorer, be fair and consistent in your scoring across both teams. Don't make it weird. Benefit of the doubt SHOULD ALWAYS GO TO THE BATTER.
•  Errors of omission, such as indecision to throw the ball, etc., cannot be charged as an error. But in the case of a baseman, for example, who neglects to have his/her foot on the base when he/she receives a throw, they’ve committed a chargeable error.
• For throwing errors where additional bases are taken by a runner because of the throw, the scorekeeper must charge an error to someone. For fielding errors after a throw, when additional bases are taken by the runner (like when a first baseman drops the ball on a good throw to first) the scorekeeper must charge an error to someone.
• The scorekeeper should not be awarding a double, triple or a home run when the batter only earned a single, and then a fielding or throwing error allowed him/her to advance. This should be scored as a hit plus an error. For no throw or no play made by the fielder -- even if a play should have been made – it should be scored as a hit.

Little League provides the following guidance for differentiating hits from errors:

• Scorers should favor the batter if a decision of judgment is on the border line of hit versus error. However, this is not to say that obvious errors should be glossed over. 
• Generally, when a defensive player, through ordinary effort, muffs a batted or thrown ball, throws the ball widely, or drops the ball, the error must be charged. The key is to determine the value of ordinary effort by a fielder. If the fielder should have made the play, with ordinary effort, and failed to, an error may be charged. 
• However, in the case of a fielder, who has to extend far from his usual position to make a play and fails to make the play (even if he touches the batted ball), no error should be charged. The benefit of the doubt should always go to the batter. If a fielder’s play on a batted ball is affected by some outside force, such as bright sunlight, a collision with a fence or fielder, or a “bad hop,” it should be scored a hit if the fielder fails to make the play.