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A guide to the Olympic sport of Softball.

Technical details

Softball is played on a diamond, with a grass surface. There is a pitching mound inside the diamond and four bases at each of the corners - home, first, second and third.

There are nine players a side, taking it in turns to bat. Players use a wooden bat which is 86.36cm long and 5.7cm in diameter. The ball is heavier and larger than a baseball, but is hard, not soft (as its name would suggest). Unlike baseball, in softball the pitcher throws underarm and the match is played over seven innings rather than nine.

Runs are scored by circuiting the bases. Players can be caught or tagged out. The innings are over when three batters are out.

Olympic history

A relatively new sport to the Games, softball became an Olympic sport for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Softball is a women-only event.

	Check for more on: Guide Softball Olympics