Many people think that since the name of our game is softball, that our ball is actually soft. For those of you who have never touched a softball, I can assure you there is nothing soft about the ball we play with. Also people say baseball, softball…what’s the difference, there is none right? WRONG! There are many differences between the game we play and the game our brothers play and it’s definitely more than just the fact that our ball is highlighter yellow.
In baseball the bases are 90 feet apart where as in softball they are just 60 feet apart. In softball the pitching rubber is just 43 feet away in college at least and the pitching mound is baseball is 60 feet from the catcher. You may realize now that softball is a faster game than baseball. A lefty slapper in division 1 softball makes it down the line in about 2.7 seconds on average, that doesn’t give much time to mess around when a ground ball is hit in the infield where in baseball I’d like to say everyone seems to take their sweet time on making a simple play. Just shared a few differences in these two very different games, but which is better?
There are 3 key things that need to happen when throwing your fastball to maintain your pitch speed.
Explosive drive off the rubber
Weight back on the downswing
Pushback on the stride leg
When you want to have explosive drive off the rubber you really need to focus on "exploding" just like a sprinter does in track. It is how fast a pitcher comes off the rubber that really will tell you how fast her pitch is going to be. A lot of pitchers have been told the longer step they take the more velocity they will have. That is not true, the more explosive the harder you will throw.
When reaching back in the downswing it is crucial to reach toward second base. Although in this picture the pitcher isn't reaching back yet you can still see the conscious effort she is making by keeping her arm straight all the way through to keep good velocity.
The last step is to finish with a good pushback resistance. Just as a batter does when they are batting a pitcher needs to keep her weight on her back leg to really be able to release and downswing successfully.
I came across this story a few years ago and it is a story that moved me so much when I read it so I think I should share it with everyone. Something remarkable happened in a softball game between Central Washington and Western Oregon, something Sara Tucholsky would never forget. She had never hit a homerun in all the years she played softball, but on this day she did. With two runners on she proceeded to take her run around the bases but as she ran over first base she realized that she had missed it. Being an honest player, she turned back to go and touch it but as she did her knee buckled and she fell to the ground in enourmous pain. None of her teammates were allowed to touch her as she would not get credited for the homerun, she would only be awarded a single.
In a moment of compassion, the first baseman from Central Washington decided to speak up. Mallory Holtman asked the umpire if her and another teammate from her team could carry her around the bases. After deliberation the umpires came to a decision that they agreed on. Mallory Holtman and the shortstop for Central Washington proceeded to carry Sara Tucholsky around the bases letting her good foot touch each base.
Western Oregon took the double header that day and Sara Tucholsky took her homerun. Although she was not able to finish her season due to the injury she took with her this great act beyond sportsmanship that these wonderful girls gave her. We all need to remember sometimes winning isn't everything, it is about just doing what is right.
Go ahead and see this wonderful story for yourself,
Some people would say pitchers need a circle around the mound so they can keep track of where they need to be at all times. The circle comes into play when there are runners on base. When the pitcher has the ball in the circle, the runner can't really go anywhere. If they do they have to make a decision and stick with that decision. If they change the direction of their desired path they will be called out. When the pitcher has the ball and her arm cocked as if she is going to make an attempt to "get" the runner then the runner has free reign. But if she is covering the ball with her glove the runner has to stay there because the ball is in the circle. Also when there is a runner on base if the pitcher for any reason walks out of the circle when she has the ball then the runner also has free reign. The pitcher needs to remain in the circle to keep the runner where they are supposed to be.
When one sees a softball pitching mound at the beginning of a game one will notice two white lines on either side of the mound.
Photo by POLINA YAMSHCHIKOV, ColumbiaMissourian.com
These lines represent where a pitcher can step when she is in her pitching motion. If a pitcher steps outside of these lines an umpire will call an illegal pitch. The consequence of getting an illegal pitch called on you is a ball on the batter and if there is a runner on they get to move to the next base. This rule has become quite controversial recently because they have been strictly enforcing it. There have been many instances where it has been a tied game and the winning run will be standing on third base. At this point if an illegal pitch is thrown the runner on third gets granted home and if that team is the home team the game can be over and they can win the game simply because the pitcher from the opposing team threw an illegal pitch.
The change up I throw is called a "back spin". This change up is one of the most difficult to perfect but also one of the most effective. With all change up's it is key to keep the speed of your motion the same as your other pitches. Lots of pitchers tend to slow down, their bodies sense that since the pitch is slower their body should go slower and this is where teams pick up on it. When releasing this pitch you want to focus on "shaking a person's hand" and just letting it flow. When you try to make your body do too much you will not succeed. You just need to let the pitch work. I hold this pitch like my fastball, just a normal C grip.
When this pitch is in motion it can be described as dropping lower to the ground as it crosses the plate. When this pitch is thrown correctly and effectively in result you will see a lot of ground balls and miss hits. The way I hold my drop ball is I grab the seams like a U. I put my thumb directly on the seam to the left and place my middle and index finger on either side of the right seam.
When throwing this pitch you need to focus on really getting your hand over the ball as quickly and sharply as you can. Some pitchers shorten their step because it makes it easier to get your "body over the ball" but teams will pick up on that. So once you feel comfortable you should go back to your normal step.
There comes days when you are practicing but you have had enough of working on your different pitches. Sometimes you just want to work on maybe getting in better shape and doing drills to improve your pitching. Today I will give you some helpful things to do to improve yourself as a pitcher all around.
The first thing that is always good for a pitcher is to have a lot of endurance. The best way to build up your endurance is to run. After a game you should run at least one lap around the field for every inning you pitched. Although it is also very beneficial sometimes to go and take a 2 or 3 mile run when you can. Being a pitcher your legs are everything so you have to keep them strong.
Another good drill to do is to the mound and pitch a fastball. But after you pitch one you run back to the mound and pitch another ball. You contine doing this for as many mintues as you can and try to stay accurate. When you start getting all over the place it is good idea to take a break and do the drill 2 more times if possible.
