Basic Rules of Baseball Following these guidelines of baseball will help your child jump right in. Innings & outs An “out” is when an offensive player must leave the field after: Being tagged by a ball in play Not making it to the base or home plate before a member of the opposing team with the ball in their glove does Swinging three times at a pitch and missing all three times Once the offensive team gets three outs, it’s their turn to play defense. An inning ends after both teams have played both offense and defense, and each team gets three outs. Strikes Each batter has three chances to hit a ball that’s pitched to them. If they swing and miss, or they don’t swing on a pitch that’s ruled fair by the umpire, it’s called a strike. After three strikes, the team receives an “out.” Foul balls There are lines drawn on the field that connect the bases. The lines leading from home plate to first base, and from home plate to third base are used to determine whether a ball is in play. If the ball is hit between the base lines, it’s in play. If a ball is hit outside of the base lines, it’s called a foul. If a batter hits a foul on the first or second pitch, it counts as a strike. If a batter hits a foul on the third pitch, it counts as a foul, and the batter is allowed another pitch. Balls If a pitcher throws an unfair pitch, it’s called a ball. If the pitcher throws four balls, then the batter is allowed to walk to first base. Download the complete guide for baseballGet a PDF copy to print out for yourself or share it with others who are just getting started with baseball. Included in the guide are the following.Words of AdviceFundamentals of the GameThe Basic RulesGetting into PositionBaseball Terms ExplainedDressed to PlayWays to PlayDownload the guide Change Location Change Location Midwest 3 on 3 2026 October 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament Sports Offered Basketball About 11 miles from you Competition (Event, Meet, Tourney) • Boys, Girls Jan 17, 2026 - Oct 25, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 August 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament Sports Offered Basketball About 11 miles from you Competition (Event, Meet, Tourney) • Boys, Girls Jan 17, 2026 - Aug 15, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 December 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament Sports Offered Basketball About 11 miles from you Competition (Event, Meet, Tourney) • Boys, Girls Jan 17, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 Legacy Hoops (Hopkins) Session 1 Sports Offered Basketball About 11 miles from you League or Season (Club, Association, Team) • Boys, Girls Jan 5, 2026 - Apr 19, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 Legacy Hoops (Hopkins) Session 2 Sports Offered Basketball About 11 miles from you League or Season (Club, Association, Team) • Boys, Girls Jan 5, 2026 - May 17, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 Champlin Park 3 on 3 Basketball League Sports Offered Basketball About 12 miles from you League or Season (Club, Association, Team) • Boys, Girls Dec 7, 2025 - Apr 9, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 Blaine 3 on 3 Basketball League Sports Offered Basketball About 12 miles from you League or Season (Club, Association, Team) • Boys, Girls Jan 5, 2026 - May 17, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 Osseo Maple Grove 3 on 3 Basketball League Sports Offered Basketball About 12 miles from you League or Season (Club, Association, Team) • Boys, Girls Dec 7, 2025 - Aug 23, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 Maple Grove 3 on 3 Basketball League Sports Offered Basketball About 12 miles from you League or Season (Club, Association, Team) • Boys, Girls Dec 7, 2025 - Jun 21, 2026 Midwest 3 on 3 2026 MBT Blaine 3 on 3 Basketball League Sports Offered Basketball About 13 miles from you League or Season (Club, Association, Team) • Boys, Girls Jan 5, 2026 - May 17, 2026 View More sports in this article Baseball tags in this article Beginner New to Sports Parent SportsEngine