An inning, in sports lingo, is a period of play in a game. It is typically used in baseball and softball, but can also be used in other sports such as cricket and rounders. In baseball and softball, an inning is divided into two halves, the top and the bottom. During the top half, the visiting team bats and the home team fields. During the bottom half, the home team bats and the visiting team fields. The word 'STANZA' is derived from the Italian word for 'ROOM' and is often used to refer to a division or section of a poem.