In my opinion, softball is more complicated and faster version of baseball.
When comparing both fields the sports are played on, there are many similarities and differences. An average baseball field, measured from home plate to the center of the outfield wall, at a college level is 390 to 410 feet. For the base length from home plate to first base, it is 90 feet. Then, the length from the pitcher’s mound to home plate is 60 feet and six inches.
On the other hand, a softball field is measured at 225 feet from home plate to the center field fence. The distance from home plate to first base is 60 feet. Lastly, the distance from home plate to the pitching mound is 43 feet.
Baseball pitchers throw overhand; whereas, softball pitchers throw underhand and have a windup that requires them to rotate their arm in a circle to pitch the ball. A softball is 12 inches with a diameter of three and a half inches, and a baseball is an average nine and a quarter inches, with a diameter of two point nine inches. A softball is harder to throw because of the size of the ball. It can be uncomfortable when trying to grip it. A softball can also put more strain on your arm and shoulder since the softball player is throwing a bigger and heavier ball than a baseball. Because a softball is bigger than a baseball, it is harder to hit the ball farther in distance when compared to a baseball. On the contrary, it can also \ be easier to make contact with the softball.
I believe a softball may be bigger and easier to see, but it is harder to hit due to the small amount of time a player has to react to hit the ball. Since the pitcher’s mound is closer to home plate in softball, a player has to rely on her instincts to react fast enough to make contact with the ball. Baseball has more time to see the ball in order to hit it.
I am a college softball player, so from my experience when playing softball, the game is played at a faster pace than baseball. Due to the smaller dimensions of the field, each position is closer to the batter’s box where the ball will be hit from. With the softball coming off the bat at an average of 60 to 90 miles per hour at a college level and the defensive player on the infield being less than 60 feet away from the batter, it leaves little time to react. It only takes an average of three point two seconds for a batter to get from home plate to first base, so an infielder has that exact amount of time to field the ball and throw it to first base to get the runner out, leaving no time for questioning and second-guessing.
The speed at which the ball hits off the bat is called exit velocity. You can find more information about exit velocity by visiting https://www.buildingromeseries.com/exit-velocity/#google_vignette.
