How to Know How Many Innings a Baseball Game Can Go
Baseball is an entertaining, fast-paced and thrilling team sport that keeps fans on the edge of their seats. But how many innings can a baseball game go?
How Baseball Games Are Structured
A major league professional baseball game is split into nine innings, which are divided up into halves – the top and bottom halves. The home team will always bat in the bottom of the ninth inning, unless they are ahead when the away team finishes their turn batting.
How Long an Inning Can Last
Each team will get three outs from the opposing team in their turn at bat, unless the inning is extended. Innings may run longer than three outs when teams use a combination of walks and hits to score runs and extend the inning.
How Long a Baseball Game Can Last
There is no limit on how many innings a baseball game can go; games can last up to 15 innings or more. However, the longest game in MLB history was over after 25 innings and lasted 8 hours 25 minutes.
If a game is tied after nine innings, both teams have the right to bat and score a run in order to break the tie and win the game. This is called extra innings, and they can continue until there is a winner.
Game Length Regulations
In some cases, baseball games will be limited in length, purposefully ending the game after a certain number of innings have been played. Major League Baseball has set regulations regarding the length of baseball games. In the regular season, games are limited to a maximum of 10 innings. No game can exceed 12 innings in the post season or playoffs.
Conclusion
As baseball fans know, games can be long and entertaining. The length of the game is determined by how well the teams are playing, how well they are hitting, and how many innings the teams can keep play going. Teams may play up to 15 innings or more, or end the game earlier if in accordance with league regulations.
No matter the length, the thrill and excitement of the game keeps fans captivated until the bitter end.
