Under the state association's 10-run rule, if the bottom of the fifth inning begins with the home team leading 9-0 and the fifth batter hits a grand slam, what is the final score and winner?

• A. The game ends with the score 10-0, home team.
• B. The game ends with the score 13-0, home team.
• C. The game ends with the score 13-0, visiting team.
• D. The game continues for one more inning.

Answer: (B)

Under the 10-run rule, the game can end early if the leading team has a lead of 10 or more runs at the end of a half-inning. Here, the home team starts the bottom half of the fifth inning with a 9-0 lead. Once the fifth batter hits a grand slam, four more runs are added, making the score 13-0. At that point, the home team has a 13-run advantage after the completed bottom half-inning, so the mercy rule ends the game. The final score is 13-0, with the home team winning.