An "inning" is a segment of a baseball or softball game during which one team bats and attempts to score runs, while the other team plays defense. Each inning consists of two halves: the top half, where the visiting team bats, and the bottom half, where the home team bats. A standard game typically has nine innings, but in some cases, it can go into extra innings if the score is tied. Innings are crucial for determining the outcome of the game, as teams aim to outscore their opponents. The number of outs in each half-inning is limited to three, after which the teams switch roles. The concept of innings is fundamental to the structure of baseball and softball games.