If this happens, the catcher will often signal for the pitcher to throw the batter out to end the inning. In baseball, a strikeout occurs when a batter fails to hit the ball cleanly with the intent of putting it in play.
The letter 'K' is prominent in the word 'strike' and the final letter in the term 'struck,' as in 'struck out.' Fans and scorekeepers now use the same abbreviation, with a 'K' for a swinging strikeout and a 'K' for a hitter caught looking at his third strike. What letter represents a strikeout in baseball?