1. Fast Pitch Pitching for Dummies
ASA SOFTBALL
Fast Pitch
Pitching for Dummies

2. The GOOD The BAD The UGLY
PITCHING
The GOOD
The BAD
The UGLY

3. What To Look For Preliminaries Feet
- both feet on the ground and within the 24” length
Male
Pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate
Non Pivot foot in contact with or behind the pitcher’s plate
Female
Both feet in contact with the pitcher’s plate

4. What To Look For Preliminaries Hands Shoulders
Apart, ball in pitching hand or glove/mitt
Take the signal (or appear to take it)
Bringing the hands together for 1-10 seconds
Shoulders
In line with 1st and 3rd base

5. What To Look For Preliminaries Male Female
If the pitcher starts with the non pivot foot behind the pitcher’s plate, a step backward may be taken before, simultaneous with, or after the hands are brought together
The pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate at all times prior to the forward step
Female
Both feet must remain in contact with the pitcher’s plate prior to the forward step

6. Start of The Pitch
Starts with the separation of hands after they have been brought together
Step
Not more than 1 step
Female
Must be forward simultaneous with the delivery inside the 24” length of pitching plate
Male
- Must be forward simultaneous with the delivery

8. Pivot Foot
Female
Pushing off and dragging the pivot foot in contact with the ground is required. If a hole has been created the pivot foot may drag no higher than the level plane of the ground.
Male
Pushing off and dragging the pivot foot in contact with the ground or
If both feet are in the air, the toes of the pivot foot must be pointed downward

9. Leaping
An act by the pitcher when both feet become airborne on the initial move and push from the pitcher’s plate.

13. Crow Hop
The act of the pitcher who steps, hops or drags off the front of the pitcher’s plate, replants the pivot foot, thereby establishing a second impetus (or starting point), pushes off from the newly established starting point and completes the delivery

16. The Delivery Must be delivered in a underhand motion
Release and follow-through of the hand and wrist must be forward past the vertical line of the body
Hand shall be below the hip
Wrist not farther from the body than the elbow
Delivered from the throwing arm side of the body (not behind the back or between the legs)

20. The Windup May use any windup provided:
No motion to pitch is made without immediately delivering the ball
No rocker action is made
The pitcher does not stop or reverse the forward motion
The pitcher does not make more than one revolution of the arm in the windmill motion (anything less than two revolutions)

22. May use any windup provided:
The pitcher does not continue to wind up after taking the forward step or after the ball is released

24. Infractions by the Pitcher
Deliberately dropping, rolling, bouncing, etc., the ball from the pitching position to prevent the batter from striking it
Applying any foreign substance on the ball (powder resin or Gorilla Gold may be used)
Licking the fingers prior to contact with the ball
Wearing any item on the pitching hand, wrist, forearm, elbow or thighs which the umpire judges to be distracting

26. Legal – Band aide not on contact point
Illegal – Tape on contact points

28. Illegal – Nothing on pitching hand, wrist, forearm, elbow or thigh that is distracting

29. Failing to release the ball 20 seconds after it has been returned from the catcher
Throwing to a base while a foot is in contact with pitching plate after taking the pitching position
Any defensive player taking a position in the batter’s line of vision
Any defensive player takes a position in foul territory (except the catcher)

31. The catcher being outside the lines of the catcher’s box when the the pitch is released
When the catcher returns the ball to any defensive player other than the pitcher (except after a strikeout, putout made by the catcher or to play on a base runner)

33. You
Make
The
Call

34. Legal

35. Legal – Still!

36. Illegal – Leap

37. Illegal – Leap

38. Inconclusive – Can’t see hands

39. Illegal – Leap

40. Legal

41. Illegal – Replants; crow hop

42. Illegal-legal-illegal

43. Illegal – Rocking action

44. Illegal – Double Touch

45. Illegal – Hands never come together

46. Legal – Takes signal with hands apart

47. Illegal - Steps on pitching plate with hands together

48. Illegal – Takes signal behind pitching plate; walks through pitch

49. Legal

50. Legal