On September 13th, 2023, KSHSAA voted 42-17 for immediately extending the baseball and softball seasons from 20 games to 26. New programs such as preseason arm care and communication equipment like Pitch Comm were added.

The preseason arm care program will allow coaches and their players to begin workouts 4 weeks before the season begins. They are only allowed to work out for 2 days with 1.5-hour sessions. This can only include pitching drills. Communication equipment will allow the dugout to communicate with the catcher with a one-way radio.

Athletic Director Michael Graham said “it failed (last year) because softball wasn’t included with the new rule change,” and also said that it had been in the works for a “couple years.” This new rule has a lot of advantages and disadvantages. “Bigger schools like Bishop Carroll has ton of extra arms and but other schools like North only have a couple arms to throw and will have to figure out who will pitch those six extra games,” Graham said.

Head Baseball Coach Randy Griffitts said “Our players have more opportunities to play in games.”

This addition of games to the season can create some problems. “The challenge for this year is schedules have already been made so trying to fit six extra games in to a schedule that’s already been created can be tough,” said Griffitts. “You also have to balance trying to have enough pitching to play the extra games,” added Griffitts.

More games throughout the season can have good and bad effects to schools with smaller teams.