Baseball and softball are two sports that are growing in popularity due to the evolution of travel sports.
20 years ago both sports were more seasonal as kids played little league baseball at their local youth rec league before moving on to the next sport in season.
If you go watch both sports, you may find yourself wondering:
Is baseball harder than softball?
Baseball and softball are equally as hard and it depends on the level that is being played to determine which is harder.
If you head to a Major League Baseball game and then go watch a beer league softball game you would probably say baseball is much harder.
If you went to a professional softball league and then went to watch a high school baseball game, you would probably say that softball is the harder sport!
Let’s take a look at the key differences between baseball and softball to give more insight on which one is harder:
Contents
Baseball vs Softball Differences
Size of field
One of the biggest things you will notice between softball and baseball is the size of the field. A baseball field has the following dimensions:
| Measurements | Distance |
| Home to First | 90 feet |
| Home to Pitchers Mound | 60 feet 6 inches |
| Home Plate to Left Field | 320 to 350 feet |
| Home Plate to Center Field | 400 feet plus |
| Home Plate to Right Field | 320 to 350 feet |
The typical softball field has the following dimensions:
| Measurements | Distance |
| Home to First | 60 feet |
| Home to Pitchers Mound | 43 feet |
| Home Plate to Left Field | 265 Feet |
| Home Plate to Center Field | 315 feet |
| Home Plate to Right Field | 315 feet |
As you can see the normal softball field is much smaller than a baseball field, which creates a different perspective in how players position themselves on the fields in the two sports.
In baseball, teams use the shift to cover up more ground of where the ball will likely be hit, whereas in softball the shift isn’t needed due to the playing area being much smaller.
Pitching speed
Another thing you will notice when you turn on a softball or baseball game is the velocity of the pitching speed that the batters are facing.
Pitchers in baseball throw overhand, which gives them more leverage and the ability to throw with greater velocity than softball pitchers who throw underhand from the pitcher’s mound.
In baseball, if you throw close to 90 MPH you will get the attention of college scouts and at the pro levels, pitchers are now throwing close to 95 MPH with consistency due to the advancement in training techniques.
In softball, most pitchers throw between 58-65 miles per hour and if you throw over 60 MPH you will likely get the attention from professional softball leagues.
But with the shorter distance to home plate, does baseball or softball have to react to the ball faster than the other?
To many people’s surprise, softball players have a shorter reaction time due to the fact that pitchers leap off the mound and typically release the ball from 37 feet, which gives hitters facing a 70 MPH fastball .35 seconds of reaction time.
A 90 MPH fastball that is released at 55 feet from home plate gives hitters the reaction time of .44 seconds, which is slightly longer than baseball reaction time!
Sports science put together a great video showing the difficulty of hitting a softball compared to facing a baseball pitcher:
Bats
The bats used in baseball and softball are noticeable differences as well. Baseball bats are normally longer than baseball bats and have a more rounded crown, whereas softball bats are more narrow toward the barrow.
The barrels for baseball bats are around 2-⅝’ around where softball bats are 2-¼’ in diameter.
| Factor | Baseball | Softball |
|---|---|---|
| Ball Size | Smaller (9 inches in circumference) | Larger (11 or 12 inches in circumference) |
| Field Size | Larger (90-100 yards between bases) | Smaller (60-65 yards between bases) |
| Pitching Distance | Farther (60 feet, 6 inches from the pitcher’s mound to home plate) | Closer (43 feet from the pitcher’s mound to home plate) |
| Pitching Style | Overhand | Underhand |
| Number of Players | Nine | Ten |
| Innings | Nine | Seven |
| Leadoffs | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Stealing Bases | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Defensive Alignment | No restrictions | Pitcher and catcher must start each pitch in the “pitching circle” |
| Batting | Wood or metal bats allowed | Metal bats only |
| Run Scoring | Typically lower-scoring games | Higher-scoring games |
| Popularity | More popular in the United States | More popular in some other countries, such as Japan |
Length of bases
The length of the bases also is another major difference between softball and baseball. In Softball, you will see more bunting and players trying to take advantage of the short distances.
In softball, you will see players laying down bunts toward the left side of the infield and trying to make their way to first base before the pitcher or third baseman can throw them out with regularity.
In baseball, the distances create an additional element of athleticism that is required to get down the lines to beat the throw from the infielder.
Mound
Mounds in baseball are raised 10 inches from home plate which creates a downward trajectory on the ball that is coming at hitters.
In softball, the mound is flat which means that softball pitchers are typically throwing the ball at an upward trajectory as it heads toward hitters. This creates an additional challenge for hitters to try factor in a rising ball while getting their swings in.
An entertaining matchup from years ago was famous softball pitcher Jenny Fitch facing off against Albert Pujols:
Baseball swing vs Softball swing
Baseball swings have evolved as more data has become available and are using an upward launch angle on the ball to try and drive the ball out of the ballpark.
In softball, you will see more slap hitting of the ball as players try to get a head start to first base and slap the ball toward an opening they see in the field.
Slap hitting creates an element of urgency for infielders in softball since the fielders need to be ready to quickly field the ball and throw it over to the first base, compared to baseball, where you will see infielders sometimes get their footing and take a couple of side hops before throwing over to the first base.
Leads on Bases
In softball, leading off is not allowed which is much different than baseball. In baseball, pitchers have the additional responsibility of trying to keep runners close to the base so they do not steal bases.
Players can steal bases in softball but they have to wait until the pitcher has released the ball, which makes it much more difficult to get a head start toward the base, unlike baseball.
In slow-pitch softball, you are not allowed to steal or take off until the ball has been put in play.
FAQs
Is a softball harder than a baseball?
Softballs are about 12 inches in circumference while baseballs measure 9 inches. Softballs weigh 6.25-7 oz while baseballs weigh between 5-5.25 oz.
Why is women’s baseball called softball?
The history of both sports is very interesting and dates back to the 1800s. In 1887 some men started playing baseball with a large broom and a large ball, and named the sport softball and were mostly played inside for men who could not play baseball.
Conclusion
I hope this post brought some clarity to the key differences between the two sports. If you are a baseball player and have gone out to play slow-pitch softball you will learn quickly that it is a totally different swing and can take a while to pick up.
On the other hand, softball players that go out and play baseball will realize very quickly that the extra dimensions of the field create the need for more athleticism to cover more ground and make longer throws to get runners out!
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