Baseball is a team sport played between two teams of nine players each. The object of the game is to hit a ball with a bat (batting), moving the ball across the field and running through the infield and outfield to reach the bases, avoiding being knocked out by the opposing team's players.

The game is played on a diamond-shaped field with four bases, one in each corner. Players on the batting team take turns trying to hit the ball thrown by the opposing team's player, the pitcher. If the batter succeeds in hitting the ball, he may run around the bases. If the batter fails to hit the ball or if he is knocked out by the opposing team's players, the opposing team goes to bat.