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Sports and activity information for the ALL STAR in your house |
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Softball Positions
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SOFTBALL PLAYER POSITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
| Pitcher | Throws the softball from the center of the diamond (pitcher's mound) to the catcher. The pitcher uses an underarm motion to pitch the ball toward the "strike zone". After making a pitch, the pitcher gets ready to field balls hit up the middle.
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| Catcher | Plays in a semi-crouched position behind home plate and receives pitches thrown by the pitcher. Also receives throws from fielders attempting to make outs at home plate.
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| First Baseman |
Positioned just to the left of the first base. Her main role is to make fielding plays on balls hit toward first base.
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| Second Baseman |
Plays in the gap between the bag at second and the first baseman. Receives throws from fielders attempting to make outs at 2nd base and fields “grounders” and “pop ups” hit to this side of the infield.
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| Shortstop |
Fields the balls hit to the infield between second and third base. She covers second base (along with the second baseman) and is often involved in force plays and “double plays” with the second baseman.
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| Third Baseman | Plays to the left of third base and covers any plays there. Receives throws from other fielders attempting to make outs at 3rd base.
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| Outfielders (Left, Right, and Center) | Positioned beyond the infield, they catch and field “fly balls,” line drives, and ground balls hit into the outfield.
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THE SOFTBALL PLAYING FIELD
| Infield | The infield is that portion of the field in fair territory which includes areas normally covered by infielders
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| Outfield | The part of the field beyond the diamond, or infield. It is occupied by the fielders and it is farthest from the batsman.
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| Foul Lines | Two lines (first and third base line) that distinguish fair territory from foul territory
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| Fair Territory | Fair territory is that part of the playing field within and including the first and third base foul lines from home plate to the extreme playing field fence and perpendicularly upward.
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| Batter’s box | Box marked with chalk near home plate that a batter must stay within while batting.
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| Bases | Home plate is one corner of a diamond with bases at each corner. The bases other than home plate are 15 in (38 cm) square, of canvas or a similar material, and not more than 5 in (13 cm) thick. T The bases are numbered counter clockwise as first base, second base, and third base
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| Foul poles | Poles stationed at the end of each foul line to distinguish fair territory from foul territory.
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| Pitcher's mound | Located near the centre of the diamond it is the spot from where the pitcher throws the ball.
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