TUCSON, Arizona — Beginning with the 2027 season, a double first base will be required in high school baseball games nationwide to minimize the risk of collisions by runners and fielders.
"Adding the double first base is symbolic to the evolution of the sport. It will immediately address running lane violations, and it will further protect the players from the violent collisions that have occurred at first base,” Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee, said in a statement “By reducing collisions and enhancing safety, it preserves both the integrity of competition and the well-being of those who play."
The SEC was the first college conference to experiment with the double first base in its 2024 conference tournament. This past season, the double first base was used in all Big 12 conference games and post-season games.
While it is not being made mandatory in softball, the Arizona Interscholastic Association is looking at implementing it in 2027.
