Error or fielders choice

[Guest Ben]

I’ve got 2 outs with a runner on 3rd Base.  A ground ball is hit to 3rd basemen, she decides to come home with the ball instead of 1st.  She overthrows the catcher allowing the runner to score.  Runner at first didn’t advance to 2nd.  

How would you score the play?

[Guest Bob the bummer]

I've often wondered why many scorers are afraid of giving an error in these situations.
If the runner could have been put out with ordinary effort than the error is warranted. It is a judgement call still, but scorers shouldn't be afraid to use judgement. Errors don't just apply to missed force outs.
Runner on first though reaches by fielder's choice.  

[Senor Azul]

It’s both on this play. You have to account for the advancement of both the batter and the runner from third. The batter reaches first safely on a fielder’s choice—the runner scores on the overthrow at the plate and the third baseman is charged with an error on the throw, E5T. The batter reaching first is actually the basic concept in the definition of the term fielder’s choice.

FIELDER’S CHOICE is the act of a fielder who handles a fair grounder and, instead of throwing to first base to put out the batter-runner, throws to another base in an attempt to put out a preceding runner. The term is also used by scorers (a) to account for the advance of the batter-runner who takes one or more extra bases when the fielder who handles his safe hit attempts to put out a preceding runner; (b) to account for the advance of a runner (other than by stolen base or error) while a fielder is attempting to put out another runner; and (c) to account for the advance of a runner made solely because of the defensive team’s indifference (undefended steal).

[beerguy55]

MOST of the time the above statements are true.

FC to the batter.  E5.  No RBI.

Here are the exceptions:

1. It's only an error if a clean throw WOULD (not could) have got the runner at home - that matters to whether or not it's an RBI and an earned/unearned run - ie. typically you want this to be a no brainer before calling it an error.

2. It's a hit if you judge that BOTH the batter would have reached first safely AND R3 would have beaten a clean throw - ie. no matter what choice F5 made, the run was scoring and the batter was reaching

eg. slow roller down line and fast batter - F5 determines her only chance is to toss it home (probably even a quick flip), and throws wildly...but R3 would have been safe anyway

 

I know you said that B/R didn't go to second...if she had, you can't charge F5 with two errors on one bad throw.  She'd get the error for allowing B/R to advance, for sure...and then it's just a matter of whether the error also allowed R3 to score, which goes again to whether or not it's an RBI/earned run.