[11] (In addition to "indoor baseball", "kitten ball", and "diamond ball", names for the game included "mush ball", and "pumpkin ball". Australia has produced several of the world's great men's softball players, including Adam Folkard and Andrew Kirkpatrick, widely considered all-time greats in men's softball. The Backstop shall be at a 25 to 30 foot distance behind Home Plate. Therefore, you probably want to spend as much time on your local softball diamond as possible. In slow pitch, the ball must land on a carpet or marked area behind the plate, therefore standardizing the strike zone. This minimizes the chances of a collision. She must make an attempt to get out of the way and it is the umpire's judgmental call whether the batter attempted to move. In 2012 the heads of the International Softball and Baseball Federations announced their united effort to be included in the program in 2020. 2.2.1. The flat area on top of the mound is 5 feet by 34 inches. slow pitch rules will be enforced unless exceptions are noted: 1. Most fastpitch games use a crew of two umpires (one plate umpire, one base umpire). home plate. In 1991, women's fast pitch softball was selected to debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics. home plate to the pitcher's mound?A: They do vary In NCAA fastpitch softball, players have the option to wear a helmet with or without a face mask. The diagram above also provides details for foul pole and batters boxes. Also, in the case of a bunt, the second baseman must cover first as the first baseman runs to get the ball from the bunt, then it is often thrown back to first base. The strike zone is slightly different in different forms of softball. This results in a ball being awarded to the batter, and any runners on base advancing to the next base. In such a situation, the defense can throw to the base that the lead runner is attempting to take (a force out), and the defense can then also throw to the previous base. Bats must be round, not more than 34 inches (86.4 cm) long, and not more than 2.25 inches (5.7 cm) in diameter at the largest part. Radar guns are not perfect, especially the cheaper ones! The first cork-centered softball was created in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, by Emil Kenesky (Emil "Pops" Kenesky). How far is it from 3rd base to 1st base in softball? Now measure from this point to the back corner of third base, and then back to the original starting point at home plate. The average throwing speed of 13- and 14 year-olds ranges from 46 to 50 mph. This measurement is super important, as any change in the measurement could give either the pitcher or hitter an advantage. The pitching rubber is 18 inches back from the center of the mound. If you are within the following pitching ranges for your age and your mechanics are solid and efficient (and your not in the averages simply because your abnormally strong or tall for your age), then more speed will come over time naturally. The game moves at a faster pace than traditional baseball due to the field being smaller and the bases and the fielders being closer to home plate. Pitches may reach high speeds. The female athlete will want to keep a balanced and not be one-sided strong from repetitious right-handed or left-handed pitching and hitting. "The proposal calls for men's baseball and women's softball to be played at a single venue during 7 to 10 days. 300-Feet by 1/2-Inch open reel fiberglass tape. Youth softball covers ages 15 to 19. The center fielder needs to be the quickest because of the large area of field they must cover. [37], Depending on the league in slow pitch only a foul ball with two strikes on the batter means the batter is out. When she safely reaches first (see below) she becomes a "base-runner" or "runner". These calculators are brought to you by Pocket Radar: Baseball Pitch Speed Conversion Chart: PDF. The umpire also has the option of not saying anything on a ball. This Ultimate Guide for Softball Field Dimensionsgives you softball field dimensions and guides you on how to set up your field. Speed is less important than spin, which will dominate at any age. The Junior League focuses on 12- to 14-year-olds, the Senior League looks at 14- to 16-year-olds and the Big League is for up to age 18. More important than having professional quality plates is making sure that the spacing between them is properly measured out according to the college guidelines. Additional copies of the USA Softball Code may be purchased in a hard copy format from the USA Softball National Office at a cost of $9.95 plus shipping and handling. However, some female players now wear a shorter version of baseball pants. This requires the outfielders to stay behind a line till the ball is hit. A bunt is another form of batting. In fastpitch, a circle 16 feet (4.9 meters) in diameter known as the pitching circle is market around the pitching plate.[20]. Oops! Generally, the distance between base paths on fields for 12-year-olds and below in baseball and in all divisions of softball is 60 feet. Often called Americas pastime, baseball is also well established in Canada, Latin America, the Netherlands, Australia, and Japan. Where the 2 arcs intersect is where you will place the back left corner of third base. Although there are a variety of bats used, there are several that are banned due to performance enhancement. Some umpires wear a variant of the uniform: some umpires in ASA wear heather gray slacks and may also wear a navy blue shirt; umpires from the USSSA wear red shirts with grey slacks; National Softball Association (NSA) umpires wear an official NSA white-colored umpire shirt with black pants or black shorts; NSA fastpitch umpires wear the white NSA umpires shirt and heather gray slacks. [46] Some leagues even use different balls for male and female batters. This distance might range from 35 to 53 feet for adult slow pitch. After the catch, runners must return to their original bases; if the defense throws the ball to that base before the runner returns, the runner is out as well, resulting in a double play. If he feels the batter could have moved and avoided getting hit he or she will not reward the batter first base and the pitch will be recorded as a ball. When setting up your field it is best to use the right equipment. First: -If you have a backstop:start from one outside corner of the backstop and run a stringout to a couple of feet past where you think the pitching rubber will be. Images on this site may not 54/80. The measurement between first and third base is taken from the back, foul-line corner of the base to the rear tip of home plate. Co-ed leagues sometimes adopt live-play rules intended to reduce gender inequality, under the assumption that men will be generally more powerful. Only decisions where a rule might have been misinterpreted are considered to be protestable. Disclaimer: The measurements, dimensions and layouts In male fastpitch masks are generally only used for medical reasons. Although its name suggest it is a soft ball, it has a core made of fiber kapok, a blend of cork and rubber, or polyurethane. 8u and below is usually played with 10 players on a field at once.) Softball rules are very clear about base paths and backstop distances. The right fielder is part of a group of two other fielders that make up the outfield. Pitcher (P) is fielder #1. What is the distance from home to first in softball? Foul lines 320 feet minimum to fence. If a batted ball hits a player or a base, it is considered to have hit the ground. Some groups allow for a more defensive game by making home plate a force out for first base. Each tournament would feature eight teams. continues to grow, and slow-pitch softball is still played on a Men's, Women's, and Co-Rec Slow Pitch Softball Rules Current A.S.A. and the game began, with the boxing glove tightened into a ball, a broom handle serving as a bat. D. On an attempt to make an play at any base and the ball goes out of play, each runner is allowed one (1) base. There is no limit to the number of batters a team may have available, although only so many can bat in one inning. Pitchers can throw breaking balls that move late in their flight, fooling batters into swinging at pitches outside the strike zone or, conversely, not swinging at pitches that pass through the strike zone. Some fields can be as much at 250' from Meaning the runner that is going from first to second will most likely be advancing to third, and in that case, the shortstop will be the cut off for the throw from right field to third base. Foul balls are called by extending both arms up in the air with a verbal call of "foul ball", while fair balls are indicated only by pointing towards fair territory with no verbal call. Then, depending where the runner is between home and first, the second baseman makes the decision to throw the ball to first or to hold the ball. Only the wall behind the batter is considered foul territory. In America, there are more than 1,500 college softball teams spanning five different levels: NCAA Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA, and NJCAA. At higher levels of play, pitchers aim for the inner and outer corners of the plate when throwing fastballs and breaking pitches. [77], "Indoor baseball" redirects here. ndbase, 2 base and 3 rd base. Near the center of this square is the pitcher's circle, and within the circle is the "rubber", a small flat rectangular plate a foot and a half in length. be reproduced electronically. Third base is also called the "Hot Corner" because the ball can pop off the bat at the fielder very fast. The distance between home base and the pitchers mound is 43 feet. This is usually orange and the batter running through first base is supposed to run straight through it. Phone: 416-426-7150. Girl who play ASA 10U division -- 10 years old or younger -- run a base path distance of 55 feet between each base. At the plate the catcher is responsible for catching pitches, keeping mispitched balls in front of the plate, calling pitches that are normally done through hand signals, picking off runners, and they are considered the leaders of the field. The bat is held with both hands, over the shoulder, and away from the pitcher (90-degree angle). If the batter swings at the pitch that is deemed illegal and puts the ball in play, the offense is given the option to accept the results of the play or accept the penalty listed previously (exception: if the play results in the batter and any runners all advancing at least one base, the play stands and no option is given). Because the sport was [9] Rober's version of the game used a ball 12 inches (30cm) in circumference, rather than the 16-inch (41cm) ball used by the Farragut club, and eventually the Minneapolis ball prevailed, although the dimensions of the Minneapolis diamond were passed over in favor of the dimensions of the Chicago one. 10 and under teams typically use a softball with a circumference of 11 inches and diameter of 3.5 inches. Generally, outfielders act as a back-up to the infielders when they make plays or if the ball is hit past the infield. In most cases, the answer is yes. The modern game of baseball was established by the Knickerbocker Baseball Club in New York City in 1845 though variants of similar games have existed since the 18th century in the form of cricket and rounders. Rounded metal spikes are illegal, as are ones made from hard plastic or other synthetic materials. The first baseman is the position to the left side of the diamond when facing home plate. In that instance, the shortstop is responsible for third base. In that year, a new, fluorescent optic yellow colored ball was first used in college softball. The two sides measure 8.5 inches and it is 17 inches across. This last rule is rarely enforced as players who break rules after being warned are usually removed. A softball field's normal spacing between bases is 60 feet. Home runs are usually scored by hitting the ball over the outfield fence, but may be scored on a hit which does not go over the fence. If a batted ball bounces off a fielder (in fair territory) and goes over the fence in foul territory, or if it goes over the fence at a location that is closer than the official distance, the batter is awarded a double instead. [69] Softball and Baseball were unable to have their sport included in the program at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. . [20], All players are required to wear shoes. For ASA girls divisions 12U, 14U and 16U to 18U, the distance between bases is 60 feet. Since the silver medal at the Atlanta Olympics, the Chinese have now made softball a priority at all levels. The Amateur Softball Association is the National Governing Body of Softball for the United States pursuant to the 1976 Amateur Sports Act. In the end, the baseline should form a clean square. The home run ball can travel 500 feet or more with . If not, you're not alone. boxes area?A: Both the right and left hand batter's Third baseman are responsible for covering third base at all times unless the ball is hit to them. A fielder who chooses to wear a helmet or face mask is not required to wear a cap.[20]. The infield is usually "skinned" (dirt), while the outfield has grass in regulation competitions. From my experience giving pitching lessons to girls from 8 23 years old, if your mechanics are efficient and correct, you will ultimately fall into the range of pitching speed averages listed below. Peterson, Brian. 10U will be allowed to steal but not home plate. [20], Caps, visors, and headbands are optional for female players, and have to be the same color. It is known as the national governing body of softball, was established in 1933 and has over 240,000 teams. Well balanced strength training and structured weekly pitching reps will help accelerate speed increases organically. In baseball, the rubber is on a mound of dirt as gravity is used to generate speed. There are a variety of grips and techniques a pitcher may use to deliver a change up such as: Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) is a professional women's softball league in the United States and was formerly the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) and then the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). The softball field is usually composed of a dirt or brick dust infield that contains the shape and running areas of a diamond and a grass outfield. Position the apex of home plate on this line and 25 from the backstop. In softball, the pitcher uses an underarm motion to pitch the ball towards the strike zone. The distance from the home base to the centerfield must be at least 400 feet. For example, with a thinner wall, the ball recoils faster off the bat, allowing it to travel further. The pitcher tries to throw the ball in the strike zone. The primary emphasis of Babe Ruth Softball is on education, skill development, participation for all levels of ability and of course, having fun. The National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum was opened in Oklahoma City, United States in 1957. Caps are mandatory for male players. In fast pitch, the pitcher is allowed to take one step back prior to releasing the ball during the forward movement. The selection of which pitch to use can depend on a wide variety of factors including the type of hitter who is being faced; whether there are any base runners; how many outs have been made in the inning; and the current score. Despite the fact that it was originally intended to be played indoors, softball is usually played outdoors. They must also know how many runners are on base and where the ball should be thrown next in the following play. The batter attempts to swing the bat and hit the ball fair (into the field of play). Softball was removed from the programme for 2012 and 2016, but was added for a one-off appearance, along with baseball, for the 2020 Summer Olympics (which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).. Olympic softball is governed by the World Baseball . *Note: products listed on Bases Loaded Softball are selected by our softball players, coaches, and team of enthusiast writers and editors. Other sanctioning bodies of softball are AAU, NSA, PONY, Babe Ruth League, ASA, ISC, USSSA and Triple Crown. In other leagues, stealing of bases is prohibited. Catchers and 1st baseman have what is called a mitt, whose pockets are larger than other gloves. This rubber should be exactly 24 inches long, and six inches wide. The outfield is the remaining space between the baselines and between the outfield fence and the infield. How far is the throw from 3rd to 1st in softball? A field is officially required to have a warning track between 15 and 12 feet (4.6 and 3.7 meters) from the outfield fence. These shorts also help to protect the upper thigh when sliding into a base. There are also riseballs that break upwards, frequently starting in the strike zone and ending above it, and dropballs that break downward. Use a string from the apex of home plate and measure 60 to where third base should be, make an arc with chalk. Currently, the USSSA program is run out of Viera, FL. Each box is six inches of When a ball is batted into play, runners generally must attempt to advance if there are no open bases behind them; for example, a runner on first base must run to second base if the batter puts the ball in play. While distances between bases of 60 feet are standard across varieties, the pitcher's plate ranges from 35 to 43 feet away from home plate, and the home run fence can be 220 to 300 feet away from home plate. 4.1.1. The above chart shows mound diameters and heights for different levels of play. Q: What are the different distances from The distance of the home plate to the backstop, where the catcher will be, can range from 25 feet to 30 feet. The distance from home to first base is 60 feet. Baseball is a competitive sport where two opposing teams take turns batting and fielding a ball with the goal to score the most runs by the end of the game. Rule 15 - Stealing bases No stealing of bases in the 8U division. Stealing in 16-inch softball is severely restricted, as a runner may only steal the base in front of them if it is open, and if they are thrown at, la pickoff move or snap throw. The softball pitcher makes a windmill motion while throwing underhand, unlike baseball pitchers who throw overhand. DP/FLEX Strategies for Coaches. This first contest ended with a score of 4140. Recommended distance from home plate to out field for female or male fast pitch softball is 185 235, female slow pitch 250-275, male slow pitch 275- 300. No matter what way the batter hits the ball, they must be inside the batter's box when the bat makes contact with the ball. As soon as the pitcher makes a throw, the fielders are ready to field balls that are hit in the middle of the diamond. League rules may stipulate that there must be an equal number of men and women on the team, or that batting order alternate male and female batters. Due to the popularity of the sport, there are a multitude of governing bodies such as the United States Specialty Sports Association, International Softball Congress and the National Softball Association. a ball and an undersized bat the next week. 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