Baseball and softball are two sports that are the same in concept but quite different in the details. Differences include the distance of the home-run fence and bases, pitching rubber and the size of the ball. Softball pitchers throw the ball underhanded, while baseball pitchers throw over the top. The difference in bats is subtle, but it is one more element that differentiates one sport from the other.
Length
The length of softball and baseball bats may vary slightly, but they are essentially the same. A baseball bat is from 31 to 34 inches long, while a slow pitch softball bat generally ranges from 33 to 34 inches and a fast pitch bat is between 32 and 34 inches. In each sport players must face pitches and cover the same distance over the plate, so a big difference in length would be illogical.
Weight
Wooden bats used by professional players can be any weight as long as they are made entirely of wood. For aluminum baseball bats, the NCAA has a minus 3 rule, which states that the number representing the weight of the bat can be no more than three digits less than the number of the length. This helps lower the performance factor on aluminum bats and increase player safety. A slow pitch softball bat ranges from 26 to 30 oz., a fast pitch 23 to 28 oz. and a baseball bat 28 to 31 oz. Fast pitch bat weights are the lightest because of the speed of the pitches and short reaction time for the hitters.
Barrels
The barrel of a baseball bat is larger than the barrel of a softball bat. A typical baseball bat is about 2 5/8 inches in diameter, while a softball bat is 2 1/4 inch. Softballs are quite a bit larger than a baseball, so it stands to reason that the bat might not need to be as big around.
Diameter vs. Length
The greatest difference between baseball and softball bats may be the shape of the bat itself. The way the diameter varies along the length of the bat is different in each sport. In a slow-pitch bat, the handle is thin and a constant width over the whole area. It is connected to the barrel of the bat by a tapered area about six-inches long. A fast-pitch bat has a larger hitting area and almost resembles a bottle with very little taper from handle to barrel. A baseball bat has the longest taper of any of them and consequently the shortest area of the barrel with a constant diameter. Handles of wooden bats are thicker than other materials to avoid breakage, and usually flare out at the bottom.
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