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Fast-Pitch Softball Glossary
Learn the language of Fast-Pitch Softball — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
100 terms
- Over-Striding and Under-Striding (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateOver-striding, or overstriding, means the front foot reaches too far. The head drops, the eyes jump and the hitter lunges, especially at changeups. Under-striding means barely moving at all, often leaving the hitter flat-footed and without power. In fast pitch, many hitters do best with a short, controlled stride that lands on time.
- Overload and Underload Bat TrainingIntermediateOverload and underload training means swinging bats a little heavier and a little lighter than your game bat, plus the game bat itself. The aim is more bat speed. Studies, mostly of high school and college players, report gains from such programs, but results vary. Warming up with a heavy bat or donut right before hitting has not been shown to make the game bat faster.
- Overswinging (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateYou miss when you swing hard because extra effort breaks your body control. Your head pulls off the ball, your front shoulder flies open and the swing gets long. Against fast-pitch speed and movement, that costs you the barrel. Swing hard but under control, at a speed you can repeat while staying balanced.
- Pitch CommandIntermediatePitch command is the ability to reliably place every pitch type in a precise, intended spot. It means more than landing it anywhere in the strike zone.
- Pitch Grip VariationsIntermediatePitch grip variations are the finger and seam placements that help create each pitch's spin. They run from the four-seam fastball grip to off-center grips.
- Pitch Recognition (Fast-Pitch)IntermediatePitch recognition is reading pitch type, spin, and speed early enough to make a good swing decision. It combines several narrower reads into one skill.
- Pitcher's Fielding PracticeIntermediatePitcher's fielding practice (PFP) drills a pitcher's defensive plays: covering first base, fielding bunts and comebacker grounders, and backing up bases.
- Pitching DeceptionIntermediatePitching deception is the set of techniques a pitcher uses to disguise pitch type and location — including consistent arm speed, same release point, and minimizing tell-tale grips — to delay or confuse the hitter's read.
- Pitching Machine Distance and Speed (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateA machine closer than game distance feels faster than its dial says. A rough rule is equivalent speed = machine speed × 43 ÷ machine distance in feet. A machine at 35 feet set to 49 mph gives about the reaction time of a 60 mph pitch from 43 feet. Use the distance for your age group in place of 43.
- Pulling the Ball Foul (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateFoul balls to the left for a right-handed hitter, or to the right for a lefty, usually mean you hit the ball too far out in front. You started early, opened your lead shoulder too soon or tried to pull an outside pitch. Let the ball travel deeper and drive it up the middle.
- Push BuntIntermediateA push bunt uses a firmer, more deliberate bat push rather than a soft catch-and-give. It drives the ball past the pitcher, between first and second base.
- Push-Off – PitchingIntermediateThe push-off is the initial drive of the pivot foot against the pitching rubber, converting leg power into forward body momentum at the start of the windmill delivery.
- Quick HandsIntermediateQuick hands describe a short, direct path from the load to the ball. Fast-pitch hitters need this compact swing to be on time with under 0.5 seconds to react.
- Reading the Bunt DefenseIntermediateReading the bunt defense means checking, before the pitch, how the corners and pitcher are set to field a bunt. That read decides bunt type and placement.
- Recruiting Video (Skills Video)IntermediateA recruiting (skills) video is a short, structured video of a player's core skills. It introduces her to college coaches who haven't seen her play in person.
- Release Point – Fast-PitchIntermediateThe release point is where the ball leaves the pitcher's hand, usually near the hip at the bottom of the windmill circle. It sets the pitch's path and spin.
- Rise BallIntermediateIn fast-pitch, a rise ball is a pitch thrown with backspin that makes it flatten or climb late. It arrives higher than expected, so hitters swing under it.
- Showcase Camp (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateA showcase camp is an in-person event where fast-pitch players do standardized skill tests in front of college coaches. Many also include scrimmages.
- Situational HittingIntermediateSituational hitting is adjusting your approach to the game: score, inning, count, runners, and outs. The goal is to give your team the best chance to score.
- Slap Approach TimingIntermediateSlap approach timing syncs a slapper's crossover footwork with the pitcher's release. The final step and swing should land together, not early or late.
- Sliding TechniqueIntermediateSliding technique is the controlled fall a baserunner uses to reach a base beneath a tag — covering the feet-first pop-up, the hook away from the glove, and the head-first dive.
- Soft SlapIntermediateA soft slap is a short, controlled slap that places a slow ground ball where the infield cannot make a quick play. The slapper runs through her crossover, keeps her hands inside the ball and meets it out in front with a short, firm stroke. Most slappers aim it at the left side of the infield, where the throw to first is longest.
- Speed to First BaseIntermediateSpeed to first base is how quickly a batter gets from home to first. It is usually stopwatch-timed and used to judge bunt, slap, and infield-hit potential.
- Squeeze Bunt (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateIn fast-pitch, a squeeze bunt is called with a runner on third. The short 40-to-43-foot distance makes it unusually risky, with no time to react to the pitch.
- Stepping in the Bucket (Stride Direction)IntermediateStepping in the bucket means the front foot strides away from the plate, toward the pull side, instead of toward the pitcher. That drags the lead shoulder and the barrel off the ball, so outside pitches become weak grounders or misses. The fix is a short step toward the circle, landing closed or only slightly open.
- Stolen BaseIntermediateA stolen base is the advancement of a baserunner to the next base on their own initiative during a pitch, relying on a quick jump, reading the pitcher's release, and superior speed over the catcher's pop time.
- Stride Length – PitchingIntermediateStride length is how far the pitcher's front foot travels from the rubber toward home plate. It is one of the clearest visible signs of lower-body drive.
- Strikeout PitchIntermediateA strikeout pitch is a pitcher's go-to pitch for finishing two-strike at-bats. It is their most reliable swing-and-miss weapon, given the batter's tendencies.
- Swing Decisions (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateA good swing decision means swinging at pitches you can drive and taking the rest. In fast pitch, the common chases are rise balls above the zone and drops or curves in the dirt. Get ready to swing on every pitch, then hold up on balls, and narrow your zone early in the count.
- Swing Sensor Metrics (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateA bat sensor clipped to the knob estimates numbers about the swing itself, not the ball. Common ones are bat speed, peak hand speed, time to contact, rotational acceleration, on-plane efficiency, vertical bat angle and connection. Good values depend on the device and the level. Use the maker's softball tables and compare yourself over time.
- Swinging Down on the Ball (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateMost hitting coaches no longer teach a literal downward swing. In fast pitch, a barrel that travels level to slightly upward through contact matches the flight of most pitches and produces line drives. 'Swing down' still works for some hitters as a cue to keep the hands above the ball and stop dropping the barrel under a rise ball.
- Switch Hitting (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateSwitch hitting means batting from both sides of the plate. In fast-pitch, the more common path is for a fast right-handed player to learn to slap from the left side. This starts her closer to first base and already moving at contact. A full switch hitter also swings away from both sides, which takes far more practice. Speed, bat control and patience usually decide which path fits.
- Timing the Pitcher's ReleaseIntermediateTiming the pitcher's release means starting the swing in sync with the ball leaving her hand near the hip. The cue is the release, not the whole arm circle.
- Tracking the Ball (Seeing the Pitch in Fast-Pitch)IntermediateTo see a fast pitch better, pick it up early at the pitcher's hip, where she releases it. Keep your head still and both eyes level. Use a soft focus on the pitcher, then a hard focus on the release area. Many coaches point out that the eyes cannot follow a fast pitch all the way to the bat, so seeing it early matters most.
- Travel Ball ExposureIntermediateTravel ball exposure is the recruiting value a player gets from a competitive travel team. It comes from events that college coaches are known to attend.
- Two-Strike ApproachIntermediateA two-strike approach is how fast-pitch hitters adjust with two strikes. Most shorten the swing, cover more of the zone, and favor contact over power.
- Where to Stand in the Batter's Box (Fast-Pitch)IntermediateStand where you can reach the outer edge and still be on time. Moving up meets drops, curves and changeups before they finish moving. Moving back buys a little more time against a hard thrower. Many hitters start in the middle and adjust to each pitcher.
- Working Ahead in the CountIntermediateWorking ahead means regularly reaching pitcher-friendly counts (0-1, 0-2, 1-2). She can then expand the zone and use her put-away pitch with far less risk.
- Wrist Snap – PitchingIntermediateThe wrist snap is the final burst of the wrist and fingers at release in the windmill delivery. It is the main source of both pitch velocity and spin.
- Zone DisciplineIntermediateZone discipline is a hitter's ability to reliably swing at strikes and lay off balls. It must hold up against a fast release and pitches that move late.
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