Don’t look for the fastball
in a fastpitch softball game
The casual fastpitch fan often thinks every pitch thrown in a softball game is a fastball.
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| From top, Wesley Wolverines freshman #17 P/ 1B Juli Neel (Haddon Township, NJ), freshman #25 P/ 1B Dori Loukopoulos (Chambersburg, PA), freshman #24 P/OF Zoee Garis (Lebanon, PA), freshman #4 P/ UT Abbey Mayse (Cecilton, MD). |
Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, fastballs are rarely seen by college batters who are more than ready to easily drive such pitches for extra bases that approach the plate, no matter the speed, in a straightforward direction.
Instead, fans may spot five or more basic “spin” pitches emerging out of the pitcher’s windmill delivery. That is, a variety of balls that are tossed by the pitcher with adept twists (“snap”) of the wrist. This puts an extra special spin on the ball, which launches it on several different irregular paths. Basic examples are…
► THE DROP BALL sinks suddenly as it approaches the batter. It almost always induces ground balls. Catchers are challenged too, as drop balls may fall drastically enough to bounce off the plate.
► THE CURVE BALL looks like a fastball but then breaks away from a right-handed batter. Thrown correctly, fans can expect to witness lots of fouls or swings and misses!
► THE SCREWBALL veers inside to a right-handed batter. Again, it looks like a fastball but it tails sharply into the right-handed batter’s hands. Watch for pop-ups and groundouts.
► THE RISE BALL is probably the most difficult pitch for a pitcher to successfully master. Gravity actually makes it impossible to hurl in baseball’s overhand throw from a raised mound. It’s the opposite of the drop ball as it seems to defy physics by spinning upward as it reaches the batter, who generally raises her wrists for a weak swing or lets it sail by, hoping for high ball call.
► THE CHANGE-UP, on average, travels 30% slower than other pitches, though – to fool the batter – it must be thrown from a windup speed no different than any other pitch. It’s best tossed low and outside. The pitch can be tantalizing to the batter who must greatly (some say “desperately”) adjust her swing or too often take a strike call.
Then there are variations on these pitches. There’s a DROP CURVE, a BACKDOOR SCREWBALL or even the KNUCKLEBALL.
Fastpitch is not all about fastballs. It’s a game of amazing skill whether snapping a pitch from the circle or recognizing spin and driving the ball for a hit as a batter!
Instead, fans may spot five or more basic “spin” pitches emerging out of the pitcher’s windmill delivery. That is, a variety of balls that are tossed by the pitcher with adept twists (“snap”) of the wrist. This puts an extra special spin on the ball, which launches it on several different irregular paths. Basic examples are…
► THE DROP BALL sinks suddenly as it approaches the batter. It almost always induces ground balls. Catchers are challenged too, as drop balls may fall drastically enough to bounce off the plate.
► THE CURVE BALL looks like a fastball but then breaks away from a right-handed batter. Thrown correctly, fans can expect to witness lots of fouls or swings and misses!
► THE SCREWBALL veers inside to a right-handed batter. Again, it looks like a fastball but it tails sharply into the right-handed batter’s hands. Watch for pop-ups and groundouts.
► THE RISE BALL is probably the most difficult pitch for a pitcher to successfully master. Gravity actually makes it impossible to hurl in baseball’s overhand throw from a raised mound. It’s the opposite of the drop ball as it seems to defy physics by spinning upward as it reaches the batter, who generally raises her wrists for a weak swing or lets it sail by, hoping for high ball call.
► THE CHANGE-UP, on average, travels 30% slower than other pitches, though – to fool the batter – it must be thrown from a windup speed no different than any other pitch. It’s best tossed low and outside. The pitch can be tantalizing to the batter who must greatly (some say “desperately”) adjust her swing or too often take a strike call.
Then there are variations on these pitches. There’s a DROP CURVE, a BACKDOOR SCREWBALL or even the KNUCKLEBALL.
Fastpitch is not all about fastballs. It’s a game of amazing skill whether snapping a pitch from the circle or recognizing spin and driving the ball for a hit as a batter!
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| From left, Wesley Wolverines sophomore #6 P/UT Allison Mills (Leonardtown, MD) and senior #99 OF Lauren Hoffman (Middletown, DE). |
