Fastpitch
softball is the faster-paced, more
aggressive version of regular softball. The
pitcher's plate is 35-40 feet from
home plate, depending on the softball
league.
Bases are 60 feet apart, and the runners cannot
lead off until the pitch is thrown. All of these
ingredients make for a very fast-paced
game, which is usually over within an hour and a half.
The pitcher uses an underhand "windmill" pitch, and such pitches have been clocked at well over 70mph. Fastpitch balls can have more
movement (curving, rising, dropping, etc.) than
baseballs, and the
batter has very little time to judge a pitch and swing. Fastpitch softball is primarily a game of
defense.
While there are leagues for both men and women, most fastpitch softball players are women. There is a formidable
NCAA fastpitch league, and the finals are played every year at the Softball Hall of Fame in
Oklahoma City.