A standard baseball game consists of nine innings. Each inning is divided into two halves: the "top" half, where the visiting team bats and the home team plays defense, and the "bottom" half, where the roles reverse. Each half- inning continues until the defensive team records three outs
. If the score is tied at the end of nine innings, the game proceeds into extra innings, which continue until one team leads at the end of a completed inning
. Variations exist depending on the level of play:
- Major League Baseball (MLB) and most professional leagues: Nine innings standard, with extra innings if tied
- College baseball: Typically nine innings, but games can be shortened to seven innings in doubleheaders or due to mercy rules (e.g., if a team leads by 10 or more runs after seven innings)
- High school baseball: Usually seven innings, sometimes fewer depending on league rules or scheduling
- Doubleheaders: Often shortened to seven innings per game to manage player fatigue
Additionally, games can be shortened due to weather or mercy rules, and some leagues implement special rules to end games early under certain conditions
. In summary, nine innings is the standard length for professional and college baseball games, with seven innings common in high school and some shortened formats. Extra innings are played if the game is tied after the regulation innings
