MLB Fans: It’s Time to Tune Into NCAA Fast-pitch College Softball

Hey, MLB Fans! If you haven’t tuned into watch NCAA college softball, then you have seriously been missing out on some outstanding ball play.

College softball is in the midst of their incredibly exciting playoff season. The pitching is fast, the hits are huge, and the game moves with the speed that MLB fans wish they could see from their favorite baseball teams. And you can catch them all on ESPN or ESPN 2.

At this point, the playoffs are in the super regional stage. This means that 16 teams have the opportunity to win best-of-three series to move to the next level. Sixteen of the best women’s softball teams in Division 1 athletics are battling to get to the Women’s College World Series.

If you’ve never watched an NCAA Division 1 softball game, there are a few things you’ll notice. First, the field is significantly smaller. But, this doesn’t mean the play isn’t exciting. The pitching mound is 43 feet from home plate. The bases are 60 feet apart.

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The second thing you’ll notice is that pitchers throw at top speeds around 70 MPH. Yes, this is significantly slower than MLB speed, but when pitchers are 43 feet away from their batters, that ball hums in quickly.

The next thing you might notice is that pitchers can go the distance. They can pitch an entire game and pitch the next day. Players can also be subbed in and out as needed (with a few exceptions), so a pitcher can be pulled and put back in during the very same game.

And, just like the MLB, softball players have varying abilities at the plate. Some left-handed batters bounce slap and speed to first. Then, there are right-handed hitters who are on the team just for their bats. It is common to see at least one home run in every game. And, they are no less exciting than those hit by the Big League players in the MLB.

Something else you’ll notice is the pace of play. With seven innings of regulation time, fastpitch softball games move quickly. The batters get into the box and they are ready to swing. The pitchers don’t make many throws to first; they attack the batters. Of course, the batters take their practice swings and adjust their gloves, but not with the regularity of the typical MLB player. Even pitching changes happen quickly.

If you love MLB, it shouldn’t take you long to fall in love with women’s fastpitch college softball. You might even find a few favorite players, too. These women have dedicated their lives to this sport and for the seniors on the team, these playoffs will be the last time many of these women will ever play competitively.