Oh that's cheap. You used "reach" first base ,which is generally regarded as referring to the "batter." A pinch runner doesn't count in my book. Trick question. It is better trivia to make people name the 8 ways to reach 1st base, imo. ....as for number 1, hit, hit, hit two pickoffs hit, hit, hit 6X9 = 54 last hit is ruled, but hitter is tagged after crossing first-base, but before the run scores. If that isn't it, I give up.
54 is right and that is one way to reach it. The other is: hit,hit,hit to load the bases and the next 3 hitters each hit a ball that hits the runner on 3rd in fair territory. Runner out, batter credited with hit. Other runners advance to next base.
