Softball stats glossary

What every batting stat actually means, in plain language — with the formula and, where we have it, a real rec-league benchmark rather than a guess.

• Slugging PercentageSLGTotal bases divided by at-bats — a measure of how much damage you do per at-bat, weighting extra-base hits more heavily than singles.
• Batting AverageAVGHits divided by at-bats — the oldest and most familiar hitting stat, showing how often you get a hit when you put the ball in play.
• On-Base PercentageOBPHow often you reach base per plate appearance, counting hits, walks and hit-by-pitches — not just hits.
• OPSOn-base percentage plus slugging percentage — a single number combining how often you reach base with how hard you hit.
• BABIPBatting average on balls in play — how often batted balls that stay in the park become hits, excluding home runs and strikeouts.
• Runs Batted InRBIThe number of runs that score as a direct result of your plate appearance, including yourself on a home run.
• Plate AppearancePAEvery completed trip to the plate, regardless of outcome — the widest possible count of your opportunities.
• At-BatABA plate appearance that ends in a hit or an out, excluding walks, hit-by-pitches and sacrifices.
• Spray ChartA map of where your batted balls land, plotted on a field diagram — the fastest way to see your hitting tendencies.
• Pull HitterA batter who consistently hits the ball to the same side of the field as their batting stance — left field for a right-handed hitter.
• Sacrifice FlySFA fly ball caught for an out that scores a runner from third — it costs you the out but not your batting average.
• Walk RateBB%The share of your plate appearances that end in a walk — a measure of plate discipline.
• Strikeout RateK%The share of your plate appearances that end in a strikeout — the clearest measure of contact ability.
• Total BasesTBThe number of bases you earned on hits — one for a single, two for a double, three for a triple, four for a home run.
• Fielder's ChoiceFCReaching base because the defence chose to put out a different runner — it counts as an at-bat and does not count as a hit.