Though they share many basic principles and are often grouped together, baseball and softball also have many differences. Baseball is traditionally played by males and requires a bit more organization, while softball is a unisex sport that is played more often in casual, recreational settings. But that's not all that separates the two.
Balls
The balls used to play softball and baseball differ in size. A regulation baseball consists of cowhide that's wrapped by yarn around a cork or rubber core. It weighs 5 oz. and measures no more than 9 1/4 inches around. Softballs are similar in makeup but larger in size: usually around 12 inches in circumference and up to 7 oz. ounces in weight.
Other Equipment
At the Little League level, softball and baseball bats are similar, but at higher levels of play, they differ. Baseball bats are often heavier than slow-pitch softball bats, which are heavier than fast-pitch bats. At the highest level of play, Major League Baseball, and in some other leagues, baseball requires players to use wooden bats. Aluminum bats are standard in softball. Softball players also are allowed to use larger gloves than baseball players because the ball is larger.
Playing Field
In softball, the pitcher's circle sits 46 fits from home plate, whereas in baseball the distance between home and the mound is 60 feet 6 inches. The distance from one base to the next is 60 feet in softball and 90 feet in baseball. Baseball pitchers stand on a dirt mound that can be as much as 10 inches higher than home plate. While a mound is sometimes used in recreational slow-pitch softball, fast-pitch calls for a pitcher's circle with no mound.
Pitching Rules
In both slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball, pitchers are required to throw their pitches underhanded. Baseball pitchers typically throw in an overhand motion. In slow-pitch softball, pitchers usually must keep all pitches between 6 and 12 feet in height, or risk being called for throwing an illegal pitch. There are no such restrictions in fast-pitch softball or baseball.
Other Rule Differences
In baseball, base runners can lead off of base and attempt to steal the next base at any time. Stealing is prohibited on some levels of softball, and on others base runners must wait until the ball has crossed home plate before leaving the base. Bunting is accepted in both fast-pitch softball and baseball, but usually banned in slow-pitch softball. In some slow-pitch softball leagues, a batter can strike out by hitting a foul ball; a two-strike foul doesn't end an at-bat in baseball or fast-pitch softball.
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