What makes the Rise Ball a very effective tool is if your pitcher can throw it at different heights. A low rise ball is very effective for a first pitch strike or to use to come back when you are behind. The batter is often fooled into thinking it is a down pitch or a flat fast ball. In today’s video blog post, we are taking a closer look at Up Pitches and the differences and benefits of the Low and High Rise Ball in softball pitching.
Softball Pitching: Up Pitches & The Low and High Rise Ball
A low rise ball is going to initially be a little bit below the hitters knees and then come up into her thigh and hip area.
The key mechanical different between the low rise and the high rise pitch, is this:
When throwing the low rise ball, the pitcher wants to get the back leg down low and start her snap a little bit more off the back leg and a little sooner for a low rise ball — a little later for the high rise ball.
You can throw a high rise with a little bit of chase on the inside. Or you can throw a straight up rise ball on the outside of the plate. By adjusting the angle of the pitchers body and where her step is at, you can fine tune your high rise pitches to precision.
You also want to be sure that she is getting her hand in tight, scooping between her belly button and her torso, and that she is NOT allowing her body to rotate too much.
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