about softball
...or women are held in all 3 NCAA sports divisions ( I, II, III ). SOFTBALL Softball is a game similar to Baseball, but it is played with a soft-ball. Most of the rules of play for softball are similar to those of baseball, just a little difference in pitch speed, equipment, and field size. In the US the sport is governed by the ASA. Softball has three major classifications; fast-pitch, slow-pitch, and modified pitch. There are both men’s and women’s divisions. EQUIPMENT AND FIELD A softball is larger than a regular baseball. It can be made of a silky fiber, a mix of cork and rubber or other approved materials. The ball is hand wound and then covered with rubber cement. the “12 inch” ball measures between 11.88 and 12.13 inches, and weighs 7 oz. The bat used in softball may not be more than 34 in in length nor more than 38 oz in weight. Infield measurements in softball are shorter than those in baseball. In fast- pitch and modified-pitch softball , the distance between the bases is 60 ft. In slow pitch the distance is 65 ft. The distance between the pitchers mound and home plate also depends on classification. In women’s fast pitch and modified pitch the distance is 40 ft. In men’s fast pitch and modified pitch the distance is 46 ft. In men’s and women’s slow pitch the distance is 50 ft. When playing the game of softball you will need protection while playing. You wear a baseball helmet for when you go up to bat. When you bat, you can wear batting gloves on your hands, that protects your hands. When you swing, your hands get a vibration from the bat, by wearing the gloves it helps you not to feel it. You also need to wear sliding pants underneath your shorts. When you slide into base, it protects your upper thigh and butt. Another thing you need when you slide is a sliding pad. That is worn on your leg, you pull it up and it is worn on your opposite leg, that protects the lower leg and ankle. If you have braces or a retainer, you have to wear a mouth piece, so you don’t hurt your mouth, if you get hit there. Last but not least you need a good pair of cleets and a worn out glove. The older the glove is the better, that way it is more movable. RULES Several aspects of softball’s rules of play also differ from baseball. First, pitching in women’s and men’s softball, is underhand. In slow pitch the ball is released at a moderate speed and has to reach at least up to 6 ft in air. In fast pitch the pitcher can throw the ball as fast as they can throw. In modified pitch there are no regulations for the path of the ball, but the technique of the pitching needs to meet a certain requirement. Another difference may be in the number of players. Until 1947 a softball team consisted of ten players, the nine that make a baseball team plus an extra outfielder called a shortfielder or rover. The ten-player team is still used ...