5 Little Known Facts About Softball

By Christy Flom on April 27, 2015

Softball is a highly competitive college sport very similar to baseball. With a bigger ball and underhand pitching, however, there are many noticeable differences between the two sports.

While many female softball players grew up playing baseball in their communities amidst the crowds of boys, softball is not a lesser sport to its male-dominated counterpart.

Image via Matt Folsom on flickr.com

Baseball is watched by millions of fans on the big stage in the MLB. Hence, many people know all of the rules. In softball, on the other hand, there are several aspects that are less known to the public.

Therefore, here are five little known facts about softball.

1. The balls are heavier and bigger.

This is the least unknown fact of the list, but important nonetheless. After rainy games and practices, softballs can hold water weight. I would bet that college balls are highly regulated by umpires to ensure that games are not played with these heavier balls.

However, this does not mean that practice balls are as regulated, making it very easy for softballs to vary in weight based on how old and worn they are.

2. Unlike in baseball, softball pitchers can pitch multiple games in a row.

With some teams, only one pitcher will play the entire season. Because softball pitches underhand, it is less strenuous than the overhand pitches of baseball.

So, while baseball teams may have several pitchers on their roster with all of them receiving playing time, softball only needs a few pitchers and not all of them will receive playing time. The third or so backup pitcher will receive playing time usually only when the top pitcher is injured.

Image via flickr.com

3. Hitters cannot steal bases until the pitcher is actually pitching.

This is probably one of the most unknown facts about softball because it is very different from baseball. For example, in baseball, runners can steal before the pitcher throws the balls.

This is why baseball pitchers have to constantly check the bases before pitching in order to prevent the opponents from stealing. In softball, this is not necessary, which leads us to fact number four.

4. Pitchers do not need to base check.

This is one reason why softball games are quicker. Without pitchers needing to constantly pause before throwing the ball, the batters go much faster. Also, without having to sporadically throw the ball to a base in the hopes of catching a player off guard, the game is also sped up.

Stealing bases is great fun to watch, but if baseball had this same rule, the long games would go by much faster while still having the thrill of stealing. Either way, this aspect of softball is rarely discussed, probably because many people never realize it.

5. Finally, the last unknown fact about softball would be how frequently slapping occurs.

Slapping is when hitters don’t take a full swing and attempt to aim the ball towards the left side of the field away from first plate.

An article from softballperformance.com by Darren Mueller, the head coach of North Dakota State University, better describes the role of a slap hitter.

“The slapper has to be probably the most disciplined hitter on your team,” Mueller said. “They have to know the strike zone, the umpire’s strike zone and know what the pitcher is capable of throwing.”

In describing the swing of the slap hitter, Mueller said rather than fully swinging, the hitter will run towards the pitcher and try to make contact with the ball through bunting or slapping at it. Besides a different swing, there is very specific footwork involved with slapping that involves cross stepping before running towards the base.

Image via Dave Thomas on flickr.com

In softball, slapping can be a big offense threat since it requires defenses to set up in different positions to be able to cover the field more efficiently.

Slapping is pretty unknown in softball because one would think it would not make that big of a difference. In baseball, it is rarely seen because the catcher or third baseman can easily grab the ball and throw it all the way to first base.

In softball, however, slap hitters can get a big advantage by angling the ball just right to allow the speedy runners to make it to first base.

These five facts are mostly unknown because they are aspects of the game many people do not bother to stop and think about. During a game, these parts of the game seem perfectly normal–which is of course, because they are normal.

It is only when these aspects are compared to different parts of the game or to baseball that you may stop and discover these interesting facts about softball.

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