Question about Hotel in Osaka

Hi all,
I'm in a little bit of a predicament and need some advice. I will be arriving in Osaka around 930-10AM, however the check in time for hotel isn't until 1400. I was planning on dropping my luggage at the hotel or leaving it at the train station and then going on to Nara for the day. However, through this hotel I purchased baseball tickets for the same evening. So the question is, should I go to the hotel drop off the luggage and get the tickets to the game (I'm not sure they will release the tickets before check in) and then go to Nara and ask for check in be for late (after the game).
I've already asked about early check in and it costs extra.
If a baseball game starts at 1800 how many hours does it normally go?

Thanks!

So the question is, should I go to the hotel drop off the luggage and get the tickets to the game (I'm not sure they will release the tickets before check in) and then go to Nara and ask for check in be for late (after the game).

Shouldn't be a problem, and that's what I would do.

If a baseball game starts at 1800 how many hours does it normally go?

Roughly 2.5-3 hours

If a baseball game starts at 1800 how many hours does it normally go?

Roughly 3 hours. When it has a few extra innings, it may last for 3 and a half hours.

Maybe you can leave your luggage in a major station, make a Nara roundtrip, collect your luggage, reach your hotel after 14:00, pick up your baseball tickets and watch the baseball game.
That depends on how you will come to Osaka, size and amount of your luggage and the locations of the baseball field and your hotel.
e.g.
Arriving by JR Kyoto Line to Osaka Station (not by Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka Station), carrying two medium size traveling bags, watching a baseball game in Osaka Dome, staying in a hotel in Namba area: In this case, Nara City is better accessed from Osaka Station than from Namba area, and Osaka Dome is easily accessed from Namba area, so it sounds better to leave your bags in coin lockers in Osaka Station and visit Nara City.

ORIX Buffaloes host many baseball games in its home field Osaka Dome (also called Kyocera Dome Osaka), but also a few in its field in Kobe City in Hyogo Prefecture.
Hanshin Tigers host many baseball games in Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya City in Hyogo Prefecture, which is a little away from Nara City in Nara Prefecture.

Spoke with the hotel. They said to come to hotel, drop off luggage (1 large suitcase & 1 carry on), pick up baseball tickets, and ok to late checkin!
Yes, I will be coming from Tokyo arriving at Shin-osaka then taking train to JR Osaka loop and getting off at Fukushima Station where hotel is located. Getting JR Kansai Main Line (I think) and taking it to Nara.

I will be attending Hanshin Tigers game at Hanshin Koshien Stadium so just the reverse from Nara.

This route to nara ok from

Actually might be best for me to take JR Osaka Loop Line from Hotel to Nara. Much faster and more direct route.

coming from Tokyo arriving at Shin-Osaka then taking train to JR Osaka loop

Shin-Osaka Station is not on Osaka Loop Line. You need to change lines in Osaka Station.

The best route from Hanshin Koshien Stadium depends on the location of the hotel.

Shin-Osaka: Shinkansen platform (on 4F) ---- Shinkansen Transfer Gate (on 3F) ---- Platform for non-Shinkansen lines (on 1F).

Shin-Osaka: Track 15, 16 or 17
| [JR Kyoto or Kobe Line (#1): Local, Rapid or Special Rapid]
Osaka: Track 1
| [Osaka Loop Linefs inner loop]
Fukushima (in Osaka).

Fukushima (in Osaka): Track 1
| [Osaka Loop Linefs inner loop + Yamatoji Line (#2): Yamatoji Rapid]
Nara.

Kintetsu-nara
| [Kintetsu + Hanshin: Rapid Express bound for (Kobe-)Sannomiya (#3) , about 70 min.]
Koshien.

#1: "JR Kyoto Line" and "JR Kobe Line" are nicknames for parts of Tokaido Main and San(')yo Main Lines.
#2: "Yamatoji Line" is a nickname for a part of Kansai Main Line.
#3: Roughly 3 trains are available per hour.

Thank you for the clarification. Are all these routes covered by jr rail pass?

You can travel by JR with a Japan Rail Pass from Tokyo or Shinagawa to Shin-Osaka (by Shinkansen, except on "Nozomi" trains), then to Fukushima, then to Nara.

Kintetsu and Hanshin Electric Railway are non-JR companies.
Only Hanshin has a station close to Hanshin Koshien Stadium.
The fares in total for Kintetsu-nara -- Koshien are 920 yen.
A Suica Card or a PASMO Card can be used to settle the payment.
(Logically you can save the non-JR cost to 240 yen by taking a Yamatoji Rapid train from Nara to Nishi-Kujo with your Japan Rail Pass. But, it sounds easier to take one through train from Kintetsu-nara than to take two trains from Nara, making a transfer via ticket gates.)

Fares of Nara Kotsu Bus around JR Nara Station and Kintetsu-nara Station are 210 yen per ride.
Here an ICOCA Card (issued by JR-West) can be used, while IC cards issued in another religion (Suica, PASMO, etc.) are not accepted.

Enjoy your trips!

Thank you so much, as always super helpful. Looks like I will be getting a sucia card in tokyo and having it to use in osaka too.

Follow up question. From fukushima (in osaka): track 1 osaka loop lines inner loop + yamatoji line #2 yamatoji rapid...
Would it be faster to transfer from osaka loop line tsuruhashi station platform 1 to kitetsu nara? Even though we'd have to pay for non jr?
Am I correct taking yamatoji rapid would add an extra 20 or so min?
Thanks!

Use Hyperdia for routes and fares.

Sometimes locals know better than hyperida.