Slowpitch arc
The high, lofted pitch of slowpitch softball.
A Slowpitch arc flying to home plate in 3D, from the catcher's view.
What it does
In slowpitch the ball is lobbed in a high arc and drops steeply through the strike zone. It arrives slowly but at a sharp downward angle.
How to read it
There is no hiding it: the skill is judging depth. Watch the top of the arc and where the ball will come down, at the front or the back of the plate.
What makes it work
Height and depth are the weapons. A higher arc lands steeper, and moving it a few inches front to back changes where a hitter must make contact.
The numbers
| Speed at release | 28 mph |
|---|---|
| Speed at the plate | 25.7 mph |
| Time to the plate | 1.60 s |
| Spin rate | 300 rpm |
| Break direction (clock) | 6:00 |
| Spin efficiency | 100% |
| Movement from spin, up or down | 15.3 in down |
| Movement from spin, sideways | 0 in |
| Total drop with gravity | 528.2 in |
A typical Slowpitch arc from a right-handed pitcher at 43 feet in still air, from the AXIS43 flight model. A physics estimate, not a radar reading.