Groundouts

Groundouts are outs recorded when a batter hits a ground ball that is fielded by a fielder and thrown to first base before the batter reaches the bag. The batter is out on the groundout, and baserunners may advance only if forced by the batter’s out or by subsequent plays (such as a double play). In scorekeeping, a groundout is typically noted as a GO, with the fielder’s position noted (for example, “GO 6-3” when the shortstop fields the ball and throws to first).

Groundouts occur most often on infield contact and are contrasted with flyouts or lineouts. For pitchers, groundouts reflect a tendency to induce infieldable contact; the GO/AO ratio (groundouts to flyouts) is a common metric used to assess a pitcher’s propensity to keep balls on the ground versus in the air.

At the team level, ground-ball frequency contributes to a ground-ball rate, which measures how often batted balls are hit on the ground. Grounders are less likely than fly balls to travel for extra-base hits, though they can still result in hits, outs, or double plays depending on the defense and baserunner situations.

Groundouts are a routine and significant component of baseball strategy and outcomes. They influence inning structure, defensive alignment, and run prevention, and they are a standard part of the play-by-play and statistical record.