If you are just getting started in the sport of softball or are planning on watching a friend or family member play, you might be wondering how many innings are in a softball game?
A standard softball game consists of seven innings. Each inning has a top half and bottom half where both teams get a chance to bat until 3 outs are made. There are no ties in softball. If the score is tied after 7 innings, extra innings will be played until a winner is determined.
However, each softball organization and level may have slightly different rules and there are a few exceptions that can change the number if innings that are played. For more detailed information on softball innings, please continue reading below.
HOW MANY INNINGS IN SOFTBALL?
How many innings are played in a full softball game? You would be surprised to know that a lot of new and or young softball players don’t know the answer to this question. This something that all players, coaches and fans should know.
Softball games typically consist of seven innings. This is the standard length for most softball organizations and seven innings in considered a full game. In fact, most all youth, high school, college, and adult recreational leagues games all play seven innings unless there is a need for extra innings. In which additional innings are played until the winning team is determined.
A FEW EXCEPTIONS
Although almost all softball games are seven innings long there are a few exceptions to this standard length. Some leagues especially recreational softball leagues have a time limit of 45 minutes to an hour. A game might also be shortened due to weather or a run rule.
Here are a few exceptions that would cause a softball game not to go 7 innings.
Run Rule
After 3 or 5 innings of play if there is a team that is up by a significant amount of runs most leagues have what is called a mercy rule that prevents games from dragging on. Each league varies slightly but most leagues will have a mercy rule of 20 runs ahead in three innings or 10 in five innings. If a team is ahead by this many runs and the inning has ended the game will be over. This is one reason why a softball game may not last the full seven innings.
Time Limit
Some adult or youth softball leagues have a set amount of time that each game should take. I’ve seen some leagues have a 45-minute rule and others have set time of an hour and a half. After the allotted time is up once the current inning has ended the game will end. That is however unless there is a tie and then the game will go on. This is another reason why I game may end early.
Weather
Another common reason why a softball game might not go the full seven innings is due to weather. In order for game to officially count the minimum amount of innings that need to be played for most softball leagues is five innings. If the umpires call the game due to bad weather and it’s been over five innings the game will end and whoever is ahead at the time will win the game. If the game hasn’t gone five innings or it’s a tie then it will game will typically be re-scheduled.
Now that we have covered the basics of how many innings there are in a softball game and what the exceptions are, let’s talk about what the rules and regulation are at each level.
SOFTBALL GAME INNINGS BY LEVEL
Here is a breakdown of all of the different softball levels and how many innings each one plays.
YOUTH SOFTBALL GAMES
A standard softball game at the youth level lasts seven innings. Although some softball organizations play six innings games. Like other levels each inning is divided into a top and bottom half with each team having a chance to bat. The visiting team bats first and the home team will bat second. Each half of the inning last until three outs are made.
HIGHSCHOOL SOFTBALL GAMES
Softball games at the high school level are played in full seven inning games. Most high school games will also adhere to a strict time limit of 1 hour and 45 minutes. The game will end when the seven innings have been played or the given time is up. Meaning no new inning will be started after the 1 hour and 45minute time limit.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL GAMES
At the college level softball games are seven innings. However, if the score is tied after seven innings have been played the game will go into extra innings until an overall winner is determined. Most college softball games typically last around two hours long.
ADULT RECRATIONAL SOFTBALL GAMES
Softball is not only a popular sport for youth but it is also enjoyed by adults as well. There are plenty of adult slow pitch and fast pitch softball leagues all over the country.
Most all adult reactional softball league games consist of seven innings or a set time of 45 minutes to an hour. The game will end with which ever one happens first. Meaning if it’s a fast paced game and it’s been seven innings but only 30 of the 45 minutes have passed the game will be over. On the other hand, if it’s a slow paced game and only 5 innings have passed but the game has lasted 45 minutes the game be over when the next inning ends.
The reason for this is to make sure games do go over a set amount of time and that games after will have enough time to play as well before the night has ended.
OLIMPIC SOFTBALL GAMES
An Olympic softball game is played over seven untimed innings. Each inning is divided into two half-innings, which are known as the top half and the bottom half. A half inning lasts as long as it takes for the defensive team to get three outs. Once both team have had the chance to bat and 6 total outs are made a full inning has been completed. After seven innings if the game is tied, extra innings are played until one team ends an inning with the lead.
HOW EXTRA INNINGS WORK
At the end of a softball game if the score is still tied, extra innings are added onto the game until an overall winner can be determined. At times this may take only 1 more innings in a game or it could span over multiple extra innings.
Although most softball games end after the standard seven innings, there are some that go much longer. The longest softball game in NCAA history went 31 innings and lasted over 6 hours. Now this not normal by any mean but just goes to show you that anything can happen in extra innings.
HOW LONG ARE SOFTBALL GAMES?
One of the unique things about softball is there is no set time limit or duration. Instead softball games consist of a set of innings, typically seven. This can make identifying how long a softball game typically takes a bit of a challenge.
On average a softball game will last anywhere between an hour to two hours. Most softball leagues play seven innings with each inning lasting around 18 minutes. In fast pitch softball most leagues games will last 7 innings or until a 75-minute time limit has expired. In slow pitch softball most reactional leagues will play 7 innings or until a 50-minute time limit has expired.
For more information on how long softball games take and what you can expect during a game, check out this article: How Long Are Softball Games.
SOFTBALL Q&A
DOES SOFTBALL HAVE 9 INNINGS? The standard length for almost all softball leagues is seven innings. Softball games typically never consist of 9 innings games unless extra innings is needed. However, nine 9 inning games are played in professional baseball.
HOW MANY INNINGS ARE IN WOMENS SOFTBALL? A regulation women’s softball game consists of 7 innings, unless extra innings is needed because of a tie game after 7 innings. Or the game is shortened due one team leading by 10 runs after 5 innings.
IS COLLEGE SOFTBALL 7 OR 9 INNINGS? In college softball games are seven innings unless extra innings is necessary. Each inning is divided into a top half and bottom half, where each teams gets a chance to bat until three outs are made.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s always surprised me how many people don’t know the number of innings that are played during a softball game. If you are a player, coach, or fan it’s important to understand the rules and regulations for your softball league, so that you can know what to expect and how many innings will be played at your game.