The Varsity Blues baseball and fastpitch seasons are underway, and the intramural slowpitch season recently ended. The differences between these three bat and ball sports may not be obvious to all. The following guide identifies what makes each sport unique and how to get involved, either as a player or as a spectator.
Baseball
“America’s favourite pastime” is the best known of the three variations, and is played with balls with a circumference of 23 centimeters, three bases 90 feet apart. The pitcher’s mound is 60 feet and six inches away from the plate. The fence is the longest of the three variations with centre field typically resting between 395 and 410 feet away from home plate.
A typical baseball game lasts nine innings, during which each team’s offense has three outs to score as many runs as possible.
The Varsity Blues baseball team play their home games at Dan Lang Field, and are off to a strong start this season with a 3-3 record.
Fastpitch
Like slowpitch, fastpitch is a variation of softball, and is offered as a varsity sport at U of T. The pitching mechanics used in fastpitch differ from both those in baseball and slowpitch. The pitch is delivered underhand, but in a windmill style where the pitcher’s arm will move at least 360 degrees around and the pitcher launches off of the rubber. These pitches can reach up to 130 km/h
The field is smaller with bases 60 feet apart, the pitcher’s rubber 43 feet from the plate, and the centre field fence typically around 325 feet away from the plate.
“Pitching can dominate, but that’s part of the allure — the skill of making the ball rise, sink, curve, and change speeds,” said fastpitch head coach Craig Sarson.
The women’s fastpitch team is currently sitting at a 6-2 record and at second place in the Ontario Intercollegiate Women’s Fastpitch Association standings.
“If you are a baseball fan, imagine the game being 1/3 smaller with the same skill level,” said Sarson.
“Eerything moves faster, quicker and it’s intense every play because the dimensions allow the defense to make big plays,” added Sarson.
Slowpitch
Slowpitch differs from baseball both in the size of the ball, the manner in which the ball is thrown, and the field dimensions. A slowpitch ball is larger than that used in baseball and must be pitched underhand and lobbed towards the batter.
U of T intramurals provides a slowpitch league during the summer for U of T students. The league is offered at both competitive and recreational levels.
The softball intramural season consists of a summer tournament that welcomes both recreational teams for players new to the sport and competitive teams. Other variations of the sport can be found based on different types of slowpitch, and the league where it is being played
