| Baseball is a game that is played with nine players | | | | takes their turn on offense while the other team |
| on each team. The objective of the game is to | | | | plays defense. |
| score more points ("runs") than the other team. | | | | Each cycle that is played this way (where each |
| Runs are scored when a player advances from | | | | team has played on offense for three outs and |
| home plate to first base, on to second base, third | | | | on defense for three outs) is referred to as an |
| base, and then back to home plate again without | | | | inning. The game is normally concluded at the end |
| being put "out" by the other team. Opposing | | | | of a designated number of innings, at which point |
| teams take turns being on offense and defense. | | | | the winner is the team with the most runs |
| When a team is on offense, members of the | | | | scored. In most baseball leagues, a winning team |
| team take turns attempting to hit a baseball with | | | | must be declared (no ties can exist). This |
| a bat as the ball is thrown ("pitched") from some | | | | overtime scenario is referred to as "extra innings", |
| distance in front of home plate. The offensive | | | | which involves the two teams playing more |
| team continues to bat until three "outs" are made | | | | innings than normal, with the game being |
| by the defensive team. When the team playing | | | | completed when one team scores more runs in |
| defense gets three outs against the other team, | | | | one of the innings than the other team. |
| the teams switch roles, and the defensive team | | | | |