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Runners on first and second no outs. Batter grounds to 3. she can probably run to first for unassisted out. Instead she initially decides to throw to get lead runner at third but then decides not to throw. Turns back to first but 4 is not covering first. 3 just hangs onto ball. I scored it as FC. The official scorer credited the batter with a hit. what is right?

Forgot to say, everyone was safe

Had to see it live.

Have to score consistent with how you generally score.

I tend to be bit more heavy handed and would lean error or FC over hit.
because you said she could have made the out at 3rd.

I think the answer your looking for can be found under MLB 10.05(b)(4)
The official scorer shall not credit a batter a base hit when:
(4) fielder fails in an attempt to put out a preceding runner and, in the scorer’s judgment, the batter-runner could have been put out at first base

Rule 10.05(b) Comment: Rule 10.05(b) shall not apply if the fielder merely looks toward or feints toward another base before attempting to make the putout at first base.

The key word here is "attempts". If the first baseman never threw the ball or ran to make the unassisted out, there was never an attempt and the official scorer awarded the base hit. Mental error by the second baseman not covering 1st, but it cannot be scored this way.

Again did not see the play, and believe scorers judgement and a live view to accurately score

But got what it is worth ..my bias is I to generally avoid using the 'mental mistake loophole' - which by rule is not absolute anyway. I favor the 'ordinary effort' guidance. If I think ordinary effort gets the out, I give the error

If looking for mlb rule language to support .. 10.12 a 4

MLB 10.12. Errors
A. Award errors when
(4)when such fielder catches a thrown ball or a ground ball in time to put out any
runner on a force play and fails to tag the base or the runner;

Wow this is confusing... from what was posted and copied below I am leaning towards the official scorer having it right by awarding a hit. But it doesn't seem right, but as I've learned in scorekeeping that is often the case.

>Rule 10.05(b) Comment: Rule 10.05(b) shall not apply if the fielder merely looks toward or feints toward another base before attempting to make the putout at first base.

This is pretty much what happened and then no one was covering second. So I read it that a hit should have been awarded, because the feint towards third negates the fielders choice?

But had the first baseman just fielded the ball and ran to first instead of looking to third then in my opinion the batter would of should of could of have been out at first. I just thought the first baseman ended up choosing to do nothing on a play where an out should have occurred. hence fielders choice or error, not a hit.

Don't over think it. Set your self a mental standard and apply as consistently as you can

Would there have been an out with ordinary effort? If so error - if not hit

I do get in trouble overthinking it. Here's one that I constantly have trouble with. Ball fielded cleanly but the throw is a little off target to the base making it a difficult catch. (like the throw is in the dirt or high or wide or maybe is thrown behind the shortstop as they are running to second to start a double play.) player covering the base misses the catch or drops the ball and the runner is safe. Throwing error on the fielder or fielding error on the person covering the base? I know it gets down to could a player of this ability level normally have made the throw or catch with ordinary effort, but who was more at fault for the error? What mental standard do you have for that?

you have to set your own standard of what is expected of an ordinary play at the level you play. MLB standard not the same as U12. . there is no way to answer your question in the abstract . a bad throw is a bad throw. a muffed catch is a muffed catch. how bad and how muffed .. is a judgement call.