HITTING: STRATEGIES AND MECHANICS
 
Advantage: Pitcher - Strategy: Short compact swing
In the table below, are national averages for girl’s fast pitch pitchers in the various age groups. While 44-47 miles per hour may not seem like a lot, realize that the 12-Under pitcher throws from 35 feet. What that means is at 44 miles per hour, traveling a distance of 35 feet, it takes the ball only .548 seconds to reach home plate. At 53 mph, from 35 feet, it takes the ball only .450 seconds to arrive. What we are talking about here is that our 11 and 12 year old hitters need the same reaction time that a professional baseball player needs who is facing a 91 mph baseball from 60 feet. Can you say Tom Glavine?

 
Fast pitch
Age Group Distance Typical Speed
(MPH)		 Top Pitchers
(MPH)		 Reaction Time
(seconds)		 Baseball
Equivalent
(MPH)
10-Under 35 feet 37-41 43-46 .645 ~ .519 63-79
12-Under 35 feet 44-47 50-53 .542 ~ .450 75-91
14-Under 40 feet 46-49 52-55 .593 ~ .496 72-82
16-Under 40 feet 50-53 54-57 .545 ~ .478 75-86
18-Under 40 feet 53-56 58-61 .515 ~ .447 79-92
College/Pro 43 feet 59-64 65-72 .497 ~ .407 89-101

 
On average, the batter has a little less than one-half second to get the bat on the ball. That means the batter has about .2 to .25 seconds to analyze the pitch, decide whether or not to swing, and if the decision is to swing, there is another two tenths of a second to decide where to put the bat and to physically get the bat on the ball. This is why many people who are knowledgeable in the game of fast pitch agree that hitting a fast pitch softball is one of the most difficult challenges in all of sports. The challenges for our pre-teens are the same as men who get paid millions of dollars to do the same thing. (I’ll stop with the editorials).

Strategy: The Compact Fast pitch Swing
In fast pitch, batters must take every advantage they possibly can in order to get the bat on the ball. So, how does the fast pitch hitter overcome the advantage that the pitcher has? Simply put: eliminate any wasted time, energy or motion in swinging the bat. The ultimate fast pitch swing is "short, quick and compact". It is also necessary to consider the benefits of the "rotational method" over the "weight- transfer method" (there are proponents of both in fast pitch). There are several aspects of the fast pitch softball swing that can be applied to baseball, but there are many flaws in the old-style baseball swing such as Ken Griffey’s long-looping, round-house, weight-transfer swing. In addition to reaction time, there is also a significant difference in upper-body strength between the 25-year-old male and the 10-18 year old female. That method of swinging takes way too much time for girls playing fast pitch.

The top hitting instructors in fast pitch today are teaching the short, quick, compact, rotational method.

 
Short – means keeping the hands close to the body, with the wrists remaining cocked until the point of contact, usually out in front of the batter’s front foot.
Quick - means using explosive wrist snap at the point of contact. Hitters must learn not to "cast" or "bar out" by snapping their wrists too early in the swing. Many coaches refer to this mechanical flaw as a "sweeping swing". If wrist snap is too early bat speed at point of contact will be reduced. It is also advantageous to keep the swing plane level, to slightly downward, to drive into the ball.
Compact – means the combination of Short and Quick, but with the additional features of minimal stride, (usually the no more than the width of the hitter’s shoe), and a very slight pre-launch trigger, usually just a slight movement of the hands to make a "small reverse C" or "letter J".
Rotational Method – means that the player generates power with the lower body, by driving the back hip through the ball just after point of contact. Hitters are instructed to envision themselves as a pony on a merry-go-round, where they have a pole that goes from the top of their head, down through their body and into the ground in the middle of their stance (it is not as grotesque as it might sound), and that all they are allowed to do is rotate on the axis. This helps correct the flaw known as "lunging" which is heavily associated with the weight- transfer method of hitting.
Weight-transfer Method - proponents suggest that this method is designed to achieve more consistent contact, and that the rotational method can cause the front shoulder to fly open causing loss of power and contact. The debate continues in the world of fast pitch.

 
The ideal fast pitch swing starts from the ground and works its way up. Starting with the back foot, up the back leg, into the back hip, initiating the pre-launch trigger, into the short, quick, compact and rotational aspects concluding with pronounced follow through that is slightly up. If successful, the fast pitch hitter has reduced the obstacles to putting bat on ball.

 
BALL TRAJECTORY
With a combination of the fast pitch pitcher's release point (slightly below the hip), and the absence of a raised pitcher's mound, the ball starts on its way to the fast pitch batter at least 6 feet lower than in baseball. The trajectory of the ball is usually somewhat upward, although every fast pitch pitcher learns to throw a good Drop Ball. But probably the biggest single difference between hitting in baseball and hitting in fast pitch softball is hitting a good RISE BALL. Even All Star Major League Baseball players have been stymied when they have attempted to hit against some of the best fast pitch pitchers in the game. Eddie Feigner, (the King and his Court), once struck out - in order - Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson, Maury Wills, Harmon Killebrew and Roberto Clemente.