Softball Pitching Strategies

Like baseball, softball has a strategy to its pitching, mixing different types of pitches at different speeds and heights, which will keep the batters on their toes. This is integral to a good pitching performance within a softball game and ultimately to a win. Sticking to a strategy will usually pay off in the end, even against very good hitters.

  1. Pitch to Weaknesses

    • As there are four balls and three strikes for each batter and pitcher before the batter is out or walks, the pitcher should try to find weaknesses in what the batter can and cannot hit. By throwing a high pitch and a low pitch, she might get the batter to swing at a pitch, which means she may be bad at hitting those types of pitches. This is a weakness that she has revealed. Prey on this, and make those same pitches over and over, baiting the batter to swing. However, don't make the the same pitch twice or three times in a row, as a good batter will start to time it and be ready to hit what you are pitching.

    Inside, Outside

    • Regularly pitching inside and outside to keep the batter on her toes is a good strategy. Low and away is always a difficult pitch to hit, as is inside or high and tight. Baseball and softball are both guessing games between pitcher and hitter, with the pitcher using a number of different pitches to try to keep the batter guessing. The pitcher and catcher should work this out beforehand per batter or carefully watch where the batter can hit certain pitches or seems more likely to be a threat at the plate.

    Fast and Slow

    • Speed is the other major factor when it comes to pitching strategies, trying to mix up fast and slow pitches to keep the timing of the batter off. Two fastballs in different places around the plate and then a slow pitch that's out of the zone will make the batter have no idea what is coming next. Again, sometimes batters guess and get lucky, but if the pitcher can blow them away with a series of fastballs and mix an off-speed pitch in there, the batter will have to adjust and try to slow the swing that she has mentally and physically prepared for after seeing a few fastballs earlier in the pitch series.