PITCHER (Softball)

Step #

Pitching Step

Required Action

1	Ball Grip	Grip the ball so that index, middle and ring fingers go ACROSS the seams. You should “feel” the seam in the upper part of your fingers—right above the knuckles. The thumb should hold the ball directly on the opposite side of the ball. Lastly, the ball should not lie flat in the palm of your hand. Instead, there should be a slight gap between your hand and the ball. This puts the control into your fingers rather than the whole hand. See Chart P-1
2	Stepping Back versus Stepping Forward at beginning of pitching motion	Stepping forward at all times is the required motion. However, you are permitted to shift your weight backward from the pivot leg to the stride leg prior to your forward motion as long as you don’t step backwards. Rocking backward on your stride leg (without lifting the foot) is considered the beginning of the pitching motion. All other motion must be continuous and forward. Your body weight needs to be either resting on your stride leg (left leg for right-handed pitchers) prior to starting your pitching motion OR shifted to your stride leg as discussed above (as long as a backward step is not taken). Both feet need to be touching the rubber with the right foot (pivot foot) in front of the left foot (stride foot). The ball of your front foot should be just over the rubber so that it can function as a push-off later in your pitching motion. The left foot just needs to barely touch the rubber with the toe. See Chart P-2 (Top).
3	Movement of arms at beginning of motion	Start with the ball either at the center of your body (navel) or on the pitching side. Extend both arms toward an imaginary point about halfway towards home plate in order to start the momentum of your pitching motion. This enables you to have as much of a 360-degree windmill motion as possible. If you start your motion sticking your arms directly towards home plate then the most your windmill motion will be is 270 degrees and you will be limited in the speed you can attain. When you start your arm motion you must also begin to shift your body weight from the stride leg to the push-off (pivot) leg. This starts all of the momentum for the remainder of your pitching motion. Keep your gloved arm extended out in front of you. See Chart P-2 (Top).
4	Start of windmill rotation	Due to #3 above, your windmill motion is now beginning very close to your knee (close to 360 degrees). As you quickly bring your arm upward you need to turn your shoulder towards 3^rd base (for right-handed pitchers). This is also known as “opening your shoulder”. This needs to be done naturally without interruption from your windmill arm swing. You begin to open your shoulder when your pitching arm is straight out in front of you towards home plate. Your shoulder stays open while your arm goes to the top of the swing and begins to come back down. You stop keeping your shoulder open when your backswing arm now becomes straight out towards 2^nd base. See Chart P-2 (Bottom). The windmill arm needs to go back as straight as possible towards center field - it should not have an angle towards 3^rd base or 1^st base. See Chart P-6 (Bottom).
5	Movement of the stride leg	The stride leg needs to be in the “straight line” direction towards home plate. This should be a fairly long stride but not so long that you lose your balance. It is an explosive but controlled motion towards home plate. You should begin your stride when your windmill arm is straight out in front of you. The stride leg should land (end) on the ground in front of you AT THE SAME TIME that your shoulder closes (#5 below) and your hip snaps forward (#6) below. See Chart P-2 (Bottom) and Chart P-4.
6	Pitching shoulder movement	Your shoulder needs to close and realign towards home plate during the last part of your windmill motion. The important thing to remember is to never let your shoulder come back any further than level with the pitching rubber. If you come back too far then your pitch will go outside (to a right-handed hitter). If you come back not far enough then your pitch will go inside (to a right-handed hitter). See Chart P-3.
7	Mechanics of ball release #1: Snapping the hip towards home plate	Your shoulder and hip are aligned together when you pitch so that the hip and shoulder both close together as discussed in # 3 above. The key difference is that the hip movement should be consciously done while the shoulder movement is “along for the ride”. The muscles in the hip area are among the strongest in the body and need to be properly used in order to get more speed from your motion. During the motion when your windmill arm is behind you, pointing level towards center field, is when you begin to snap your hip forward (but not past being level with the pitcher mound; just like the shoulder). It is this hip snapping motion that begins pulling your pivot leg towards home plate. See Chart P-3 and Chart P-2 (Bottom).
8	Mechanics of ball release #2: Snapping the wrist towards home plate & then towards your shoulder	The actual release point of the ball is when your arm swing is pointing directly down at the ground. The trick in getting the ball going towards the catcher is the wrist snap. Just when your arm is extended straight down is when you snap your wrist upward and release the ball. This wrist snap also provides more speed into your throw. The pitcher must learn to cock the wrist when the ball is directly overhead in the windmill motion (bend the wrist back towards the top of the arm). The cocked wrist is what permits the wrist snap to fully occur. Without learning this method of pitching you will not be able to master more complicated pitches later in your career such as a curve, drop and riser. After you have released the ball, continue your follow-through with bent wrist upwards toward your shoulder. See Chart P-5 and P-6.
9	Back leg mechanics	Your back (pivot) leg should be dragged forward from the motion of your hip snap, your overall momentum, and from a final push off the ball of that foot. The push-off begins when your arm is behind you pointing towards center field and when your hip begins to snap forward (coordinated with #4 and #6 above). All of this coordinated movement results in the explosive movement forward. After the push-off your back leg should drag forward generally towards home plate. The back pivot foot must remain in contact with the ground at all times. You should see a line in the dirt after a few pitches to ensure that you are doing this correctly. This puts you in a more balanced defensive position in case the ball is hit. See Chart P-4 & P-6 (Bottom).
10	Ready for Defense	Since your gloved arm is in front of you during your windmill AND at the end, you are in position to field a line drive back directly at the pitcher. Your body is also more balanced in order to react to a hit in any direction. See Chart P-6 (Bottom).
11	Watching Signs from Catcher	The pitcher must be alert at all times for signs from the catcher such as: pitch-out, intentional walk & trick plays to surprise a runner on base. See Catcher section.

PITCHING DEFENSIVE SITUATIONS

Item #

Situation

Required Play or Action

1	Wild Pitch or Passed Ball with runner on 3^rd base (no matter how many outs there are)	The pitcher must cover home IMMEDIATELY. Stand directly in front of home plate (towards pitchers mound) with bent knees and feet angled slightly towards 3^rd base. Prepare to receive the toss from the catcher and apply the tag. Your glove needs to sweep down to the ground in front of the plate ON THE THIRD BASE LINE to ensure that the runner slides into your glove. This will involve a twisting motion at the hips/waist towards 3^rd.
2	Foul Pop to Catcher with runner on 3^rd base (with fewer than 2 outs)	Here, again, the pitcher must IMMEDIATELY cover home plate since the runner has the option to tag-up from 3^rd base. You must be prepared to receive the toss from the catcher and apply the tag in the same manner as described above in #1. Be prepared to chase the runner back towards 3^rd and initiate a rundown.
3	Covering 1^st base	There may be a situation when a ground ball is hit between 1^st and 2^nd base. The 2^nd baseman fields the ball but the 1^st baseman is out of position because she tried to field it. The pitcher must run over and cover 1^st base receiving the toss from the 2^nd baseman enroute (while running). You must complete the play by stepping on 1^st base prior to the batter. The pitcher will generally touch the base and immediately retreat or run right through the base into foul territory. Either way the pitcher must then be alert and prepared to make another throw if someone is on 2^nd or 3^rd. IN GENERAL, THE PITCHER SHOULD ALWAYS TROT A FEW STEPS TOWARDS 1^ST BASE WHEN THE BALL IS HIT ON THE 1^ST BASE SIDE IN CASE THIS HAPPENS.
4	Backing up bases	The Team Defense section contains a number of plays with balls hit to the outfield. All of these require movement by the pitcher away from the pitcher’s mound. These should be studied and learned.
5	Pop-ups to Pitcher (with fewer than 2 outs)	The pitcher needs to call the play loudly. After the 2-handed catch, you must IMMEDIATELY be alert and be prepared to throw to another base. Listen to your team members for direction. If the pop-up is behind the mound listen for the calling of the 2^nd baseman or shortstop. The pitcher should yield to their call because they have a much better view of the play and are moving forward rather than backwards.
6	Bunts with no one on base OR runner on 1^st base only with no chance for the out at 2nd	Charge towards home plate and listen for the catcher to declare who has the play. If the pitcher, scoop the ball into your glove, SET YOURSELF, and throw to 1^st base. By the time you have scooped up the ball, the batter will probably be no more than 4 steps towards 1^st base. Therefore, you have PLENTY OF TIME to make sure that your throw is accurate.