Pitching in competitive softball is perhaps the most vital job in the sport. Pitchers tend to dominate their sport as runs are often at a premium. Pitchers can reach speeds of 70 miles per hour with their fast ball and can also throw risers, drops, curves and a change of pace. Pitchers also have to field their position expertly in order to protect themselves from line drives hit back up the middle.
Work the Corners
Stay away from the middle of the plate. When you are pitching, you want to keep the batter off balance. You can do this by moving the ball around the plate. Work the inside corner and outside corner. Go up in the zone and then low. This will keep a hitter from getting too comfortable in the batter's box. The pitch down the middle belongs to the batter, but the rest of the plate belongs to the pitcher.
Get Ahead in the Count
The best pitchers know how to get ahead in the count. You will have a chance to get the best of the batter by getting ahead 0-1, 0-2 and 1-2 in the count. At that point, the hitter goes on the defensive. Instead of trying to hit a line drive, the hitter will just try to stay alive. She may take a defensive swing at the ball just to keep from striking out. You can throw pitches near the outside corner that may appear to be strikes and the batter may swing and miss. When you are behind in the count, the hitter can look for a pitch in a particular area and "zone in" on it and hit it hard.
Field Your Position
The best pitchers can save themselves hits and runs by learning to field their position well. Competitive softball puts a premium on run scoring, and there are many 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 games. As a result, teams often try to bunt to get on base or to move runners over. By fielding your position well, you can knock down hard-hit balls up the middle and turn them into outs and keep your opponents from working the bunting game.
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