Softball is a sport for all; the young and the old alike. The simplicity of the sport’s rules and regulations make the sport a favorite option among most potential players. The sport is mostly played by women more than any other gender. Ideally, softball and baseball are closely similar in the way they are played as well as their rules. Softballs are heavy but less dense than baseballs. Often, softballs come in yellow or neon green shades. Softball bats are shorter than those used for baseball but have a wider barrel compared to baseball bats.
Here are some of the simple rules on playing softball for women:
Know the rules
The first thing to do before playing a softball game is knowing and understanding the rules. Each softball game lasts for seven innings and there are two halves in each inning. The first half is played when the visiting team starts batting. The second half is when the home team takes its turn at the bat. Each half in the inning ends after the fielding team has made a total of three outs. After the seventh inning, the winner is determined on the basis of the team with the most runs. If by any chance the teams tie in the number of runs, a decision is made to end the game at tie or break the tie by playing extra innings.
Know the playing positions
Each player on the pitch has a specific playing position. The players should stick to their positions unless advised otherwise by the coach. A softball pitch is divided into two parts; infield and outfield. The infield section is the dirt part of the field where the pitcher, catcher, 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and shortstop play at. The grassy section of a softball pitch is the outfield and there are three primary positions in this section of the pitch. These positions are right the field, center field and left field. The center field may be divided into two: right center & left center depending on the game or league being played.
Have the right playing equipment and safety gear
From softball bats to the mitt and helmet, you need to ensure that you only purchase the right size for you. Bats come in different lengths with some being longer than others. As such, you need to find the right bat for you depending on its weight and size so that you are able to swing the bat comfortably while playing. Composite and aluminum are the main types of materials used in making softball bats. Each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is therefore important that you identify the right material for you depending on your needs. For the Mitt, also called glove, ensure that you choose a pair that fits your hands well and does not cause any stiffness to the hands.
Batting
Each home plate has two batter’s boxes each on either side of the plate. Batters have the choice of deciding the side of the plate they prefer hitting from, but both of the player’s feet need to be in the box while batting. The batter scores run after hitting the ball once it is pitched towards her. The batter continues hitting the ball until she gets three strikes or gets 4 balls or sends the ball into a fair territory. The coach determines the order in which the batters will bat throughout the game.
To get a good batting, you can practice it by yourself with a good bat.
Best Double Wall Softball Bats Review will help you see the best choices of softball bats.
Strikes
The player’s strike zone is defined as the region between the shoulders and knees. A strike in softball is when the batter targets at the pitch but misses or fails to swings towards a swing crossing the plate at the strike zone or hits the ball beyond bounds with lesser than 2 strikes at her. After getting three strikes, the player steps out and the next batter moves to plate for her turn at batting.
It is worth noting that most softball rules can be amended to suit your playing needs depending on the size of field you are playing in, available equipment, the number of players or skill level. Some of the modifications to these rules are such as adding more fielders, reducing the field size, using lesser bases and using smaller or bigger softballs.
Read baseballeagle.com for more reliable information about of baseball and softball game.