OK, Creative Writing 101 says I have your attention.  Is it harder to hit a college level baseball or softball.  I can say unequivocally, YES.  Pretty brave, huh?

One of the nice things about having your own web site is you always get  the last word.  Of course you sometimes have to wear a disguise in public.  There are some facts to consider and there are some judgments and opinions that have to be considered.

Reaction time. The softball pitching distance is 42'.  Baseball is 60' 6".  On the surface it seems about equal as far as reaction time.  A 60 MPH softball would give the batter about .45 of a second.  A 90 MPH baseball would give the batter almost exactly the same reaction time.  Reaction time is a key factor and it's pretty much a tie.  I give a slight edge to softball though.  I think you're more likely to have 65 MPH plus in softball than you are to have 95 MPH plus fastballs in Division II baseball.

Speed. On pure speed, with no other considerations, this factor goes to baseball.

Here are some other variables and judgment calls. 

Effective distance/stride.  No one pitches from 42' or 60' 6".  The softballer's stride has to take at least 2-5 feet off the distance.  I'm guessing it's closer to 3-4' for most power pitchers because of the release point at the hips.  Softball pitchers leap at their targets.  It's impressive but that release point is even with the hips.

Generally, the baseballer will be taller and, I believe, have a longer stride.  The history of both sports is full of exceptions.  Five feet is not out of the question.  In addition, the baseball pitcher has a release point more ahead of his body.   On the question of stride, the edge goes to the baseball pitcher.

Breaking balls.  There are too many variables here.  I lean toward baseball.  The pitching distance alone, gives more room for a ball to be curved.  Of course, the bigger breaking ball is not necessarily the most effective.   I guess the tie breaker for me is the knuckle ball.  Thrown at greater speed, it's more likely to dance and sail.  I don't see the equivalent of a good split finger fastball in softball either.  The softball rise pitch is an equalizer but I give this slight edge to baseball.

Release points.  This one belongs to baseball.  They deliver everything from the straight overhand, three quarters, sidearm and submarine deliveries.  Softball gives the pitcher narrow boundaries in this area.  Illegal pitches are called frequently in softball and rarely in baseball.

Target size.  Obviously, the smaller the ball, the more difficult to hit.  Baseball gets a big edge.

Fear factor.  Either sport carries serious risk of injury from a thrown ball.  The 90 MPH baseball fastball is more threatening than the 60 MPH fastball of softball.

The future.  I give a big edge to softball for the future.  That game is improving faster than baseball as far as skills and performance.  Hitters will get better but pitchers will pull further ahead.  Surely, the powers that be will not lengthen the pitching distance.  There is no mound to  lower—what will they do, make the pitcher stand in a hole? 

Of course this is subjective.  Great high school and college programs are helping each other.  Look, let's be honest.  When I was a teenager, playing sports during the 2nd Lincoln Administration,  women's athletics were an after thought at best.  You had Babe Zaharias and everyone else as far as the public eye was concerned.  And it is the public eye that encourages participation.  Of course there were other skilled athletes.  She didn't race against the clock only.  She played on TEAMS in several sports and won Olympic medals against other women.  Men had many more opportunities for scholarships and most colleges (and high schools) offered more sports for men than women.  Title IX didn't BEGIN to balance things until 1972.

When I was 17, the area where I lived didn't even offer high school slow pitch softball for the girls.  You won't believe the state of girl's high school basketball.  The rules called for 6 players on the court.  Three stayed on the offensive end and 3 stayed on the defensive half of the court.  A dribbler was allowed 3 bounces and she had to stop, shoot or pass the ball. 

So I give a significant edge to softball for the future.

In conclusion, at top levels such as the NCAA Division II, it would appear that it would be more difficult to hit a baseball than a softball.  Yet, pitching, in my opinion, seems to dominate softball more than baseball.  That could be a misconception.  To me, the special tie breaker rules of softball could be proof that the rule makers recognize the dominance of pitching. On paper, it would appear the baseball is more difficult to hit.  Games aren't played on paper though.  On the field, making solid contact with a well pitched softball is quite difficult.   I personally think it could be defense that dominates and pitching has adapted to that reality.  The smaller area to safely land a hit and the great athletes tend to make defense more of a factor in softball. 

You shouldn't go to a baseball game thinking it's softball with special rules.  The two sports are different.  Basic rules are similar—3 outs, 3 strikes, 4 balls, those things are the same.  Decoying runners, collisions, substitutions, length  of game, base stealing—the differences go on and on.  And incidentally, baseball is very concerned about its game being dominated by pitching.  They've lowered the mound, juiced the baseballs and miniaturized the strike zone, among other things.  They're both great games and UWF plays them quite well. 

Delivery styles are not too regulated in baseball.


Baseball's long strides give the pitcher an advantage.


Softball pitcher go airborne in their leap toward the plate.


Softball continues to make long strides!

The release point is out ahead of the body in baseball!