There are various kinds of sports in America today. An excellent example of these sport variants is softball. The exciting part about softball is that it is similar to baseball, and it is used as a recreational activity in various colleges. Softball is very popular, especially in North America; however, on a much more professional level, softball is played throughout the world, particularly in South America, North America, Europe, and Asia.

Facts about softball

The popularity of softball is evident; you can see that when you walk into the sports complexes of various colleges where you will find softball banner used by students cheering for their favorite teams. The game of softball is a fascinating sport. Some of you might be wondering what makes this game so unique. This article will be looking at what this game is all about, starting with how it is played.

How the Game Is Played

The game of softball is all similar to that of baseball. All you need do is run through the infield. If the player can run to the four bases without being taken out by another player, he gets scored per successful run he makes. Every softball game is decided by the team that emerges with the highest number of runs, and that team is declared the winner of the match.

Game Details of Softball

Nine players play the softball game, consisting of seven innings. Every inning in the game consists of a batting and Fielding team. At the start of the game, the team Away has the privilege to bat first while the team who is Home has the privilege to field first, after which both teams switch positions which will eventually make the home team move from the top of the inning to the bottom.

As usual, the field size in regards to softball varies. They are four bases in the infield, and these bases are shaped like a diamond. The bases will be where the batter representing the home team stands to carry out his duties, and these bases consist of first, second, and third bases.

At the center of the field, you can find the home plate, and this area is where the pitcher carries out his ball throwing duties. The way the pitcher throws the ball is a fascinating aspect of this game: the ball must be thrown underarm, and while doing so, one or both of the pitcher’s feet must be on the home plate whenever he makes a delivery.

Whenever a batting order is in place, changing it is impossible; it remains like that till the end of the game. If a batter gets caught by the fielder and the ball doesn’t bounce off, the batsman gets an out. The batter also gets an out when he misses the ball thrice during a strike.

The softball game is also a unisex game which means it can be mixed with both male and female players on both teams. Once an inning is completed by a team, they switch roles with the other team. To end an inning, the Field players have to take out 3 players from the batting players.

Scoring in Softball

Scoring in softball is quite simple: the batter must hit the ball successfully and make a complete round through the bases, and he must not be taken out by a player from the Fielding team during the process. Every successful run the Batsman makes gets a score and an advancement into the next round. It is not compulsory that the batter must make it to the home plate during his run before he gets scored. If he should get any player on any of the bases home, he also gets scored.

A winner can only emerge from a softball game when the seven innings of the game are complete. The scores are counted, and the team with the most runs in the game is crowned the winner of the game. However, there are cases where the game could result in a tie; in cases like this, an extra-inning is added to the game to decide a winner.

Softball Tips to Note

The game of softball is straightforward, and the following are tips to note:

  • The game of softball consists of seven innings which are divided into two aspects known as the top inning and the bottom inning.
  • Both teams participating in the game must consist of 9 players each.
  • Once the Home team bats in an inning, the Away team bats next.
  • A field team must have players on all the bases, a catcher, a shortstop, 3 deep-field players, and a pitcher.

Final Thoughts

The softball game is not just exciting because of the softball banner backgrounds used in making the game beautiful; the entire process of the game also makes it exciting to watch. Softball is an easy game to play when you know the basics of the game. We hope this article gives you a better knowledge of the beautiful game of softball.