What is a sac fly?

A sac fly, short for sacrifice fly, is a type of play in baseball or softball in which a batter hits a fly ball that allows a runner to score from third base after the catch is made. The batter is not credited with a hit, but is instead credited with a sacrifice fly and an RBI (run batted in).

To be considered a sac fly, there must be less than two outs when the play occurs and the runner must score from third base without the ball being dropped or misplayed by the fielder. The play is often used strategically to advance or score a runner while also recording an out.

Sac flies can be a crucial and skillful way to generate runs in close games, particularly in situations where a team needs to score a run without necessarily needing a hit.