Sports ball, bat, and associated methods

A method of playing a baseball game, the method comprising:

• throwing a plastic baseball, the plastic baseball including
• a hollow plastic shell, and
• an outer surface of the hollow plastic shell comprising a plurality of solid planar surfaces,
• each and every one of the plurality of solid planar surfaces directly adjoining multiple adjacent ones of the plurality of solid planar surfaces, the directly adjoining multiple adjacent ones of the plurality of solid planar surfaces defining a repeating pattern comprising a pentagon-shaped solid planar surface surrounded by hexagon-shaped solid planar surfaces, the outer surface comprising a raised seam
• extending at boundaries between the directly adjoining ones of the plurality of solid planar surfaces, and
• extending completely across a given boundary segment between two adjoining ones of the plurality of solid planar surfaces and extending completely through at least one adjacent boundary segment between two adjoining ones of the plurality of solid planar surfaces;
• wherein the throwing of the plastic baseball includes imparting a spin thereto such that the plastic baseball curves during flight;
• and
• wherein the plastic baseball is thrown with spin such that the plastic baseball rises during the flight as a result of the spin.