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Baseball and softball are known for being very similar sports, but what makes each sport unique? They each have different rules and procedures that help differentiate between the two. The main differences include the sizing of the fields, balls, bats, and distances between the bases.
In both sports, each player is assigned one of nine positions on the field. The positions include pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, short stop, left fielder, right fielder, and center fielder. The game consists of seven innings and during each inning, each team gets a chance to bat and play in the field. The pitcher throws the ball at the batter and it is the batters’ job to hit the ball and get on base. For baseball and softball, there is an imaginary box called the strike zone. In order to strike the batter out, the pitcher must throw the ball in that zone getting three strikes. A strike is when the ball passes through the strike zone and the batter either doesn’t hit the ball or swings and misses. If the batter hits the ball, they have a chance to get on base. In order to score a run, the batter must run and touch each of the three bases as well as finally touch home plate to earn a run, or point.
Overall the sports are incredibly similar. Senior Softball Captain, Lily Gagnon, said, “The difference between softball and baseball is of course the ball size, the distance between bases, how big the diamonds are, and how far away the mound is.” When it comes to the playing of each sport the same rules are enforced.
