If you’re interested in playing a fast-paced sport, consider joining a softball or baseball team. It can be tough to decide which is the best fit for you without understanding a bit about each sport. Here are three key ways these sports differ.

3 Differences Between Softball & Baseball

1. Pitching

Slow-pitch softball pitchers throw the ball underhand. For this type of pitch, they wind their arms back and then throw forward, releasing the ball when their arm is perpendicular with the ground. Fastpitch players do a 360-degree wind-up by swinging their pitching arm in a complete circle before releasing the ball. This wind-up builds speed and makes the ball more challenging to hit.

Baseball pitchers throw the ball overhand or sidearm. Most pitches involve taking a big step toward home plate and launching the ball when one’s arm is fully extended in the throw.

2. Balls 

Softballs have a 12-inch circumference and are often white or yellow with red stitching. Kid leagues may use 10-inch balls to make the sport feasible for smaller hands. The balls contain a polyurethane cork center surrounded by two layers of rubber and real or synthetic leather that is glued to the cork. Then, sewers use threads to create 80-88 stitches.

Baseballs are usually white with red stitching and have a 9-inch circumference. The core is made of cork encased in rubber and surrounded by high-tension yarn. Rubber cement coats the inner layers which are covered by cowhide stitched together with 88 inches of red cotton thread.

3. Field

The distance between a softball pitching mound and home plate is less than 43 feet. The mound is even with the ground, and the bases are about 60-feet from one another. Because these fields are smaller, it can be difficult to get on base, which makes for an interesting defensive game.

In baseball, the elevated pitcher’s mound is 60-feet away from home plate. The bases are about 90-feet from one another, and the outfield is between 325- and 400-feet from home plate. This larger field gives you more time to run the bases before the other team can reach the ball.

If you’re interested in playing baseball or softball, contact Line Drive in Jupiter, FL, to try their HitTrax® technology. This batting facility is 8,000-square-feet and offers training for baseball and softball. Call the Palm Beach County-area location at (561) 283-6614 or visit their website for information.