Regardless of whether you're playing in a casual soft-pitch league with some friends from your office or competing in a high-level college fast-pitch conference, the strategies of hitting a softball don't change drastically. While the difficulty varies significantly between the two, they share several basic fundamentals. So get your technique down before the season starts and give yourself the best chance at becoming your team's slugger.
Step 1
Gather the basics. Buy a pair of batting gloves in order to gain a better grip on the bat. And purchase a doughnut, which is a small weight of rubber that goes around the barrel of the bat. When you take practice swings with a doughnut on your bat, it makes the bat heavier so that when you take it off, it feels light as a feather -- thus speeding up your swing.
Step 2
Eye the pitcher and the umpire. In fast-pitch softball, pitchers have a variety of different pitches such as fastballs, rise balls and sliders. So if you're playing fast-pitch, watch closely when teammates are hitting to see which pitches the pitcher throws most often. In slow-pitch, which usually has a pitch-arc minimum of 6 feet, far fewer variables exist, though the pitcher may like to throw the ball inside or outside. And check out the umpire to get a feel for his strike zone. Umpires have strike zones that differ in size, and some umps may be more likely to call either the inside or outside strike. By observing the umpire, you'll be prepared for what's coming.
Step 3
Step into the box and get into your stance. Both toes should be pointed at home plate, with the front-side hand above the back-side hand on the handle of the bat. Bend your knees slightly and bend both elbows at a 90-degree angle, with your hands -- and the bat's knob -- slightly below ear level.
Step 4
Swing away. As the pitcher is about to release the pitch, begin to stride forward with your front leg; if you're playing slow-pitch, in which the pitch takes longer to arrive, you might delay your stride until the pitch is approaching. If it's a hittable pitch, turn your hips and bring the bat forward, using your stride and your front arm to generate power. Holding the bat just tightly enough to keep your grip, flick your wrists and smack the ball, aiming for full contact on the sweet spot of the bat, which is the fattest part of the barrel.
Things You'll Need
- Bat
- Doughnut
- Batting gloves
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