Softball Pitch Speed Calculator What a fastpitch pitch feels like in baseball mph, and how long the hitter has to react.
Enter the pitch speed and the age group’s pitching distance. You’ll get the baseball-equivalent speed, the hitter’s reaction time in seconds and a full chart for every speed from 35 to 80 mph.
- 8U through college
- Reaction time + baseball mph
- Free · no sign-up
Fastpitch speed → baseball speed
Results update as you change anything. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Full speed chart
Why fastpitch hitting is so hard
A 60 mph fastpitch pitch doesn’t sound fast until you see where it starts. The pitcher strides toward the plate and lets go about 40 feet away, so the ball gets there about as fast as an 80-plus mph baseball fastball. At 70 mph, it’s major-league speed.
That’s why seeing it early and deciding fast matters more than any swing fix. It’s the Hitting Processor, one of the 4 pillars every AHD hitter trains.
How the math works
Time to the plate = distance from the release point ÷ pitch speed. The baseball equivalent is the speed that gives a baseball hitter the same amount of time from the baseball release point (we assume about 6 feet of stride at 60 ft 6 in, less at the shorter youth distances). It’s simple math with no air drag, so treat it as a close comparison.
Sources: USSSA Fastpitch rules: pitching distances by age · USA Softball: youth fastpitch pitching distances
Training guide
What it trains
Understanding how much time a fastpitch hitter has, and what a softball pitch equals in baseball speed.
Who it’s for
Fastpitch players, parents and coaches comparing speeds or preparing for faster pitching.
How to get better
- Less distance means less time. Start earlier against faster pitchers.
- Practice against speed that matches what you’ll face.
- Train recognition so you decide faster, not just swing faster.
- Use the reaction time to set your timing in the cage.
Read more on the Backspin Blog
- How to Hit Fast Pitching in Softball (60+ MPH)
- How to Time a Fastpitch Pitcher: Start Early
- Softball vs Baseball Swing: What Changes?
- 105 MPH: What Misiorowski’s Heat Means for Hitters
Next step: run the free Hitter Combine to find your #1 priority, or train this skill start to finish in the Hitting Processor course.
Questions
How fast is a softball pitch compared to baseball?
Because fastpitch is thrown from 43 feet instead of 60 feet 6 inches, a hitter has about the same time to react to a 70 mph fastpitch pitch as to a baseball fastball in the mid-90s. The calculator shows the exact equivalent for any speed and age-group distance.
What is the pitching distance in fastpitch softball?
Under USSSA fastpitch rules, girls pitch from 35 feet at 8U and 10U, 40 feet at 12U, and 43 feet from 14U through 18U. High school and college fastpitch are also 43 feet.
How much time does a softball hitter have to react?
Divide the distance from the release point to the plate by the pitch speed. A 65 mph pitch released about 40 feet from the plate arrives in roughly 0.42 seconds.
How accurate is the baseball equivalent speed?
It is simple distance and speed math with no air drag and an estimated release point, so treat it as a close comparison, not a radar reading. Adjust the stride length if your pitcher releases closer or farther from the plate.