Is there a run rule in NCAA regionals? Taking a deep dive into college baseball rule book

The NCAA believes in evolution, so it shouldn't be surprising that each year, the committee looks for new ways to improve baseball. One part of the game that could use improvement is the run rule.

Let's examine whether the NCAA has officially altered the run rule ahead of the 2024 regionals.

Is there a run rule in the 2024 NCAA regionals?

No, there is no run rule in the 2024 NCAA regionals. As of the time of writing, the rule remains no mercy in postseason college baseball.

Even though the SEC added a 10-run rule ahead of the 2023 college baseball season, other conferences followed suit during the 2024 season. However, a run rule isn't in place for the 2024 NCAA Baseball Tournament and the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

According to Section 79 of the 2023-2024 NCAA Baseball Rules Book, there is no set NCAA run rule to end a game early.

"SECTION 79. By conference rule, or mutual consent of both coaches before the contest, a game may be stopped only after seven innings if one team is ahead by at least 10 runs. "Each team must play an equal number of innings unless shortened because the home team needs none or only part of its half of the final inning."

However since 2023, SEC games and select NCAA matchups in which coaches reach an agreement before a game has operated a rule whereby if one team leads another by 10 runs or more following the seventh inning, a game can be called due to the run rule. The unique rule is similar to the eight-run rule obtained in collegiate softball after five innings.

It remains to be seen whether the NCAA regionals will adopt the run rule in the future, especially with all the major conferences adopting it in some capacity lately. In the meantime, the old rule will apply to games under their broad umbrella.

2024 NCAA baseball tournament schedule

The 2024 NCAA baseball regionals begin on Friday, May 31, 2024, and continue until Monday, June 3, 2024. After completion, the Super Regionals will start on Friday, June 7, or Saturday, June 8, and proceed for three days.

It concludes with the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, which starts on June 14, with the finals happening on June 22, 2024.

Here's what you need to know:

• Regionals: May 31-June 3, 2024
• Super Regionals: June 7-9 OR June 8-10, 2024
• College World Series: June 14-20, 2024
• College World Series Championship: June 22-23/24, 2024