Baseball Pong Rules: How to Play Beer Pong Baseball

Baseball Pong turns the beer pong table into a ballpark. Four cups in a line on each side are first base, second, third and a home run. Sink a cup and your runner moves that many bases. Miss and it’s an out. Three outs and the teams switch, and whoever has the most runs after the last inning wins. Perfect for a big group that wants to keep score.

What you need

  • A beer pong table
  • 8 cups (4 per side), plus a water cup
  • 1 or 2 ping pong balls
  • Two teams of any size; 2 to 5 players per side works well
  • Something to keep score on

How to set up

  1. On each end, set four cups in a straight line running away from the shooter, about a cup-width apart. The closest cup is a single, then a double, a triple and, farthest back, the home run.
  2. Fill the cups. A popular rule fills them by value: the single lightest and the home run cup the fullest.
  3. Pick who bats first.

How to play Baseball Pong

  1. Bat. The batting team shoots one at a time at the other team’s line of cups. Each batter gets one shot.
  2. Hit. Sink the first cup and you’re on first base; the second cup puts you on second, the third on third, and the fourth is a home run. The fielding team drinks the cup that was hit and refills it.
  3. Run the bases. Runners already on base move forward the same number of bases as the hit, just like real baseball. Every runner who crosses home scores a run.
  4. Out. A miss is an out. Three outs and the other team bats.
  5. Win. Play 9 innings (or 3 to 6 for a shorter game). Most runs wins; tied games go to extra innings.

Baseball Pong house rules

  • Strikes instead of outs: each batter gets three shots (strikes) before they’re out.
  • Drink by the hit: instead of one cup, the fielding team drinks every cup up to the one that was hit, so a home run means all four.
  • Steal cup: a fifth cup off to the side; sink it and your lead runner steals a base.
  • Bounce shots are usually not allowed, or count only as a single.

FAQ

How many cups do you need for Baseball Pong?

Eight: four on each side, plus a water cup to rinse the ball.

How long does a game take?

A 3-inning game takes about 20 minutes. Nine innings is a full night.

Can you play one on one?

Yes. Each player bats in turn and keeps their own runners.

More beer pong variations: Civil War, Chandeliers, Giant Beer Pong, Shot Pong, Strip Pong, Oche Pong, Rope Swing Pong. See them all on our beer pong variations page. Playing the classic game? See the full rules of beer pong and our rack formations.