Winning pitcher

[jlondon81]

I was at an Alaska Baseball League exhibition game Monday, Elmendorf at Anchorage. The Anchorage starting pitcher (Schierhorn) was given a three run lead after the first inning en route to a 15-0 Anchorage win. Schierhorn's line was as follows: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. In the 4th, Schierhorn was relieved by White whose line was as follows: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. A third Anchorage pitcher finished the 7th in the 7-inning exhibition. In the box score, White was given credit for the win, which seems really odd to me. Schierhorn started the game, was given the lead by his team and never surrendered it (obviously), but got a no decision? Can anyone explain this one to me?

Thanks,
Joel

PS. This was the first time I tried scoring a live game with iScore Baseball while in attendance. I've done well with a few games I've watched on TV or listened over the radio. It didn't go so well for me as I first didn't put enough batters in for one team, too many for the other, screwed up the lineups and then got behind. Oh well, gonna take some practice.

[PetroGuy]

Under MLB rules, a starting winning pitcher must go at least 5 innings for a game lasting 6 or more defensive innings and 4 innings for a game lasting 5 defensive innings. For high school games, the rules require a starter to go 4 innings to get the win. I'm not sure which rules would apply for the Alaska Baseball League, but I would guess it would have to be a 4 inning minimum since it was a 7 inning exhibition (7 innings being the length of a US high school game).

If the starter doesn't pitch long enough, the win goes to the relief pitcher who was most effective.

[coterotie]

I am having a similar quandary scoring my Dixie Ozone Tournament games. We have an abundance of pitchers so we tend to go 2 - 2- 2 for the six inning games. We also have a 10 run after 4 mercy rule. My general rule has been to give the win to whoever pitched a majority of innings say 3 of a 5 inning game, 2 of a 4 inning game. The losing pitcher is a little easier because I just award the loss to whoever gives up the losing run, regardless of number of innings pitched.

Any scoring suggestions?

My temptation is to require a minimum number of innings pitched and if he has a lead and keeps the lead he gets the win and the last pitcher who pitched effectively gets a save.

[PetroGuy]

I pretty much make up my own scoring rules for that as well. It is a difficult situation since there are mercy rules and time limits in the tournaments my son's team is involved with. Since MLB rules basically call for a starter to pitch a little more than half a game (5 innings for a 9 inning game) I try to do the same. We have 6 inning games so if a starter goes 3 innings they should be eligible in my view (technically it would be 3 1/3 to be the same, but I'm not going to require the extra out). After that, I just wing it.