When you go to the mound in slow-pitch softball, you are soon in control of the game. No action takes place until you step on the pitching rubber and deliver the ball to home plate. But unlike baseball or fast-pitch softball, the pitcher is not going to dominate the action on the field by striking out batters. Slow-pitch softball is usually a high-scoring game with a lot of long hits and home runs. However, a quality pitcher with good control can get big outs in key situations.
Step 1
Develop a consistent pitching motion when on the pitching rubber. You will have to determine which is the most comfortable motion for yourself when you are delivering the ball. Step toward home plate with your left foot -- if you are a right-handed pitcher -- so your momentum is going toward the batter. Bring your arm up and through the pitching zone so you can deliver the ball toward home plate.
Step 2
Loosen your grip on the softball before you deliver the ball toward home plate. Many pitchers have a tendency to grip the ball tightly when they are in a crucial situation late in the game. However, that will have a negative impact on your ability to control the ball. The looser and more supple your grip is, the greater your ability to throw the ball exactly where you want it to go.
Step 3
Work the ball around the plate as your control improves. In slow-pitch softball, hitters will make contact. However, if you throw outside pitches when hitters are expecting the ball over the inside portion of the plate, you will have the ability to control batters' hit selection, which is key to being a successful pitcher.
Step 4
Throw the ball with a high arc to be successful in slow-pitch softball. Pitchers cannot just lob the ball over the plate because that pitch is too easy to hit. In many cases, slow-pitch softball pitchers throw the ball up to 10 or 12 feet high before it drops down into the strike zone.; Practice getting the ball to the height limit before dropping the ball into the zone.
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