Okay, so, I’ve been meaning to get into college baseball. I mean, I’ve watched MLB games all my life, but the college scene is something else, right? It’s got this raw energy that’s just, well, different. But here’s the thing: I wasn’t entirely sure about all the rules, especially regarding the game’s length. So, I decided to do a little digging.
Figuring Out the Innings
First things first, I needed to figure out how many innings are in a standard college baseball game. In the MLB, it’s pretty straightforward – nine innings unless it goes into extra innings. But college? I wasn’t so sure. So, I grabbed my phone and started searching.
- I scrolled through a bunch of articles.
- I read some forums where people were discussing the rules.
- I even stumbled upon the official NCAA website.
It took a bit of time, but I finally found the answer. It turns out that college baseball games are also nine innings long, just like the pros!
The Mercy Rule
But that wasn’t all. I also discovered something called the “mercy rule.” Basically, if one team is way ahead, like by 10 or more runs after seven innings, the game can be called early. There’s also a variation that allows the coaches to agree to implement a 10-run rule after 5 innings if they want. It’s a way to, you know, prevent things from getting too out of hand.
Doubleheaders and Extra Innings
Then, I learned about doubleheaders. Sometimes, teams will play two games in a row. In these cases, the games might be shortened to seven innings each. It makes sense, I guess, to save some energy. And of course, just like in the MLB, if the score is tied after nine innings (or seven in a doubleheader), they’ll go into extra innings until a team wins. There is no tie in college baseball.
So, there you have it. It wasn’t rocket science, but it was definitely helpful to get these rules straight in my head. Now, I can enjoy college baseball games without wondering why they ended early or why they played two seven-inning games in one day. If you’re new to college baseball like me, I hope this little rundown helps you out too!
