Runs, Hits, and Errors (R/H/E)
What the three numbers on every scoreboard mean, and how to track them
Every baseball and softball scoreboard ends with three numbers per team: R, H, and E. They are the shorthand for the whole game. Runs decide who wins, while hits and errors tell you how each team got there.
You do not need full stats to keep these three. They are the heart of any game tracker, and once you can read them you can follow any game at a glance.
What R, H, and E stand for
- •R (Runs): the number of runners who have crossed home plate. This is the score.
- •H (Hits): base hits credited to the batting team. A single, double, triple, or home run each counts as one hit.
- •E (Errors): defensive misplays that let a batter or runner advance when ordinary effort would have made the out.
The hit-versus-error judgment call
This is the call new scorekeepers worry about most. The rule of thumb is ordinary effort. If a fielder could have made the play with ordinary effort and did not, it is an error. If the batter earned the result with a well-hit ball or beat out a tough play, it is a hit.
When you are genuinely unsure, lean toward a hit. Give the credit to the offense unless the defense clearly muffed a routine play.
Why the team totals matter
Runs win games, but the hit and error columns tell the story behind the score. A team that scored five runs on two hits got a lot of help from the defense. A team with eight hits and one run left runners stranded all day.
Tracking left on base (LOB) alongside R, H, and E rounds out the picture of how an inning actually went.
The line-score abbreviations
Tracking R, H, and E on the Dugout Edge Game Day board
The board keeps a running line score for both teams so you never have to add it up in your head.
- 1
When a runner crosses the plate, mark the run. The board adds it to that team’s R column and the inning total.
- 2
On a ball in play that the batter earns, mark it as a hit so it lands in the H column.
- 3
When the defense misplays a routine ball, mark an error instead of a hit. The run may still score, but the H column stays honest.
- 4
At the end of each half inning, the board rolls runs, hits, and errors into the inning line for you.
Softball
R, H, and E work exactly the same in baseball and fastpitch softball. The scoreboard reads the same way.
Track your game for free
The Dugout Edge Game Day board keeps the score, outs, runners, pitch count, and batting order in one place. No account needed, and it works right in your browser.
Open the free scorekeeperFrequently asked questions
Does a walk count as a hit?
No. A walk (base on balls) puts the batter on first base but is never scored as a hit. It does not add to the H column.
Does reaching on an error count as a hit?
No. If the batter reached base only because of a defensive misplay, it is charged as an error and does not count as a hit.
Is an unearned run still a run?
Yes. Every runner who crosses the plate counts in the R column, whether the run was earned or scored because of an error. Earned versus unearned only matters for a pitcher’s ERA.
What does LOB mean?
LOB stands for left on base, the number of the batting team’s runners still on base when the half inning ended. It is a quick measure of missed scoring chances.
Keep learning
Coming 2026
Score every game by hand. Digitally.
A digital scorecard that works the way you already keep score: pencil in the 6-4-3, advance the runner, mark the backwards K. The same notation you know by heart, with nothing to store in a closet and nothing lost to a rained-out dugout. Built for coaches and fans who love the craft of scoring a game by hand. Launching in 2026. Join the waitlist and we will send early access the week it goes live.
Want to see it in context? Read what the digital scorekeeper does.