<P> The rules vary widely, depending on the level of competition, but nearly all youth sports leagues and high school sports associations and many college sports associations in the United States have mercy rules for sports including baseball, softball, American football and association football . </P> <P> However, mercy rules usually do not take effect until a prescribed point in the game (like the second half of an association football game). Thus, one team, particularly if it is decidedly better than a weaker opponent, can still "run up the score" before the rule takes effect . For instance, in American football, one team could be ahead by 70 points with three minutes left in the first half; in baseball, the better team could have a 20 - run lead in the second inning, but the game would still continue . </P> <P> International competitions are sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), formed by the 2013 merger of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and International Softball Federation (ISF). </P> <P> In international baseball competition and the World Baseball Classic (WBC), games are ended when one team is ahead by 10 runs, once at least seven completed innings are played by the trailing team . In women's competition, the same applies after five innings of a seven - inning game . </P>

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