Why do I hit low or dropped balls so much further?

Cros.4

New Member
I have noticed that when the ball drops to knee high it goes so much further than when I hit it at chest high. I am hitting them both just in front of my body and they will go on the same line but the low ball comes off a lot quicker and penetrating? Most videos I’ve seen say that you want the ball chest high to drive it. Any ideas why this is? How do I get more power on the higher pitches? Thanks for the help. (Limit the “hit the weights” answers please haha)
 

Cros.4

New Member
What I mean by low pitches would technically be shorter pitches and higher pitches tend to be deeper pitches. But I’m making contact at the same spot right in front of my body so the depth of the pitch is the same just different heights.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
I'm with you on this one. All the furthest HRs I hit are on low pitches. I attribute that to the added extension. You're hitting the ball out in front, and your arms are way in front of your body at contact. Sometimes hitting a low pitch naturally generates backspin. Swinging at low pitches can generate a really good "angle of attack", allowing you to "get inside" the ball.

I find that when I start swinging at higher pitches that I have to swing up at the ball. This costs me batspeed, and I end up topping everything. It's way easier to "drop the bat head" on a low pitch than it is to take an uppercut to hit a high pitch.

Now, I'm not saying you should try to hit every low, short pitch you see. Chasing short balls is a bad habit to get into, and you'll end up topping a lot of grounders or popping up. Ideally you should swing at pitches from waist to chest high.
 

Cros.4

New Member
a guy on our team does the same thing and someone says its because he is a golfer. hard to argue with success
You could be on to something. I play a lot of golf and have no problem hitting it 300 yards. But I cannot hit a softball consistently out unless it’s low.
 

r8dr_rider

Well-Known Member
A guy on my team has that golf/baseball swing. Hits solid gappers but tends to strike out more then anyone. And he usually spins and lands on his ass when he does
 

rmp0012002

Addicted to Softballfans
I’ve always preferred low pitches and will stand back in the box. I think it translates over from years of baseball. Also, I cannot hit upper chest level pitches that most players seem to like because I can’t generate the power raising my arms up.
 

r8dr_rider

Well-Known Member
I’ve always preferred low pitches and will stand back in the box. I think it translates over from years of baseball. Also, I cannot hit upper chest level pitches that most players seem to like because I can’t generate the power raising my arms up.
Everyone has their pitch. I can only hit chest level pitches. If I let the ball drop I pop up. To each their own. Don’t try to be someone your not. Do what makes you successful. I have a guy on my team that rocks 400ft bombs yet always needs a runner and plays catcher. If everyone on my team was like that we would lose every game. Every team needs bombers and base hitters and the occasional walker.
 

defos

Well-Known Member
I don't hit chest high pitches well, and don't even swing at many. I've been in our league for 20 years, and somehow the pitchers haven't figured that out. I stand in the back of the box to avoid the higher pitch. Give me a thigh high pitch on the outer part of the plate, and I can put it wherever I want. On a good day, even weak mis-hits on that pitch find a hole.
 

JN137

Active Member
If you're hitting lower pitches further, you probably still have a baseball swing! This works for some guys, but you are likely swinging up on the ball, creating top spin.

If you learn to cut the ball and create backspin, you will start to prefer higher pitches and actually get more distance
 
Last edited:

dunkky

Well-Known Member
these are conference players. they all have one common thing in their swing.
Only way you can hit with power at lower balls is i think you have upper cut swing(baseball swing).

i am back to my drawing board. because this is the way i wanna swing. what many considered as softball swing. there's no way i can hit chest high ball with my current mechanic... so, i am back to a drawing board. and i have a pretty good idea how i should approach in my next bp.

 

blakcherry329

Well-Known Member
I played primarily modified the first half of my softball "career":p. I still have that baseball type swing. Never really learned how to hit chest high pitches consistently. I jump on low pitches, to a fault. That's why I was never a big fan of ASA slow pitch, back in the day.
I agree. Ken's videos are all about High ball hitting, for sure.
 

rmp0012002

Addicted to Softballfans
I came from modified ball in NJ and ASA SP at the time was 6’ to 12’. People can say what they want but U-Trip is a much flatter pitch than ASA. And being 5’10” there is no way I could stand up In the box and hit a pitch at my shoulders. I just stand back in box so I can hit any strike with power to wherever I want it. It’s worked for me for 35 years.
 

swingnmiss

#1 IN YOUR HEARTS
Probably because you're already starting with your hands fairly low and have to reach down two feet tor reach the ball that considered "Low" for you. If it were relative to where your hands start and your hands move 2 feet, then you're swinging down on the ball and that helps generate a bit more batspeed. I start with my hands near the level of my ears. I hit just about everything about my waist and rarely swing at anything much below that, but the waist pitches are crushed. So in comparison to having lower hands, you hitting something at your thighs and me hitting something at my waist are about the same thing................And each take advantage of a little higher degree of batspeed and launch angle from having to come down to the ball.
 

dunkky

Well-Known Member
best thing is post your swing, that's the best way. here's one good video i found on snapping. but bottomline, i don't care what people say, if you don't know how to attack high strike, you won't succeed in softball in all association based on my experience. there's reason why conference players stand a step in front of plate.
but each to their own.

 
Top