If a state association adopts a mercy rule, which run differential is allowed?

When a state association adopts a mercy rule, the purpose is to prevent excessively lopsided scores in a game, promoting sportsmanship and maintaining a competitive atmosphere. The use of a differential is a way to determine when a game can be ended early due to one team having a significant lead over the other.

In many sports, a 10-run differential is typically used as a standard for the mercy rule. This means that if one team is ahead by 10 runs after a designated number of innings, the game can be called. This specific margin is considered to balance competitiveness while still allowing for the team that is behind the opportunity to recover and improve in later games. It reflects a middle ground approach—allowing teams to compete without allowing games to become so imbalanced that they are no longer enjoyable for participating players and their supporters.

Therefore, if a state association has adopted a mercy rule with a run differential, the 10-run measure is widely accepted and is the correct answer in this context.