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Fastpitch Softball

Fastpitch softball players, parents and coaches: if EVERY at-bat matters to you, you're at the right place!

When you want the best Fastpitch Softball bats for travel softball tournaments, school softball games or even recreational softball leagues, you've found them! We're LongballBats.com and we've got an ENORMOUS selection of the hottest fastpitch bats for USA Softball, ASA, ISA, WBSC, NSA, USSSA, NCAA and NFHS - and they're ALL available with our ProMAX Heat Roll/Break-In Process with Progressive Pressure for maximum performance! We've been in business since 2016, we're the Bat Performance Experts and our friendly staff has more than 100 years of combined experience with baseball and softball. Email us or call us at 336-618-7487 for answers to all of your questions!

Fastpitch Softball Bats: A Complete Buying Guide for Players, Parents and Coaches

 

Few purchases matter more to a fastpitch player's development than her bat. The right fastpitch softball bat builds confidence, rewards a good swing, and grows with a player's game - the wrong one creates bad habits (and frustration.) After fitting players with bats since 2016, and with more than 100 years of combined baseball and softball experience on our staff, we've learned exactly what separates a great fastpitch bat purchase from a regrettable one! Here's everything you need to know, straight from the bat performance experts here at LongballBats.com.

 

Alloy vs Composite Fastpitch Bats

 

Alloy fastpitch bats are made from aircraft-grade aluminum. They're affordable, extremely durable, ready to perform in any temperature, and they give instant feedback so young hitters learn where the barrel is. For beginners, rec league players and cold weather regions, alloy is a genuinely smart buy, not just a budget compromise.

 

Composite fastpitch bats are built from layered carbon fiber, and they own the competitive side of the sport. Composite construction produces a larger sweet spot, lighter swing weights at any given length, and dramatically less sting on mishits, which matters a lot for developing players facing faster pitching. Travel ball, high school and college hitters overwhelmingly swing composite. Expect to pay more for it, and keep composite bats out of games in cold temperatures.

 

One Piece vs Two Piece Construction

 

One piece fastpitch bats run continuously from knob to end cap. The stiff design transfers maximum energy into the ball and gives strong hitters a direct, connected feel at contact. The tradeoff is more vibration in the hands when contact misses the sweet spot.

 

Two piece fastpitch bats join a separate handle and barrel with a connection system. That joint absorbs vibration and lets the barrel whip through the zone, which helps hitters generate bat speed. Two piece composite is the most popular construction in fastpitch today, especially for contact hitters and younger players, because it's simply more forgiving.

 

What Size Fastpitch Bat Does Your Player Need?

 

Fastpitch bats run from 28 to 34 inches long with drop weights (the difference between length in inches and weight in ounces) from -8 to -13. While precision sizing is hard without actually watching a player's swing, here is a general framework by age:

 

Ages 6 to 10:  28 to 30 inch bats in -11 Drop, -12 Drop or -13 Drop, with 29 inch/18 ounce being a very common setup. Light and controllable wins at this age.

 

Ages 11 to 13:  30 to 32 inch bats in -10 Drop, -11 Drop or -12 Drop, with 31 inch/20 ounce being a very popular combination.

 

Ages 14 and up: 32 to 34 inch bats in -8 Drop, -9 Drop or -10 Drop. High school players most commonly swing 32 inch/22 ounce and 33 inch/23 ounce models.

 

Youth players generally do best with lighter drops in the -11 to -13 range, while high school and college hitters graduate to -8 through -10. And remember the golden rule of bat sizing: bat speed creates power, so a lighter bat swung fast beats a heavier bat swung slow. Please, please, please: never buy big for a player to "grow into."

 

Which Fastpitch Bat Fits Which Player?

 

Power hitters should look at end loaded bats with lower drop weights, since the extra mass moving through the zone produces momentum and carry. One piece designs suit strong hitters who consistently find the barrel.

 

Contact and slap hitters thrive with balanced bats at higher drop weights, which maximize bat speed, control and the ability to handle inside pitches and adjust mid-swing (especially crucial for slappers.) Two piece construction adds forgiveness on off-center contact.

 

Beginners and young players need light, balanced and durable above all else. A properly sized alloy or entry-level composite builds a sound swing without punishing mistakes.

 

One more thing: always verify certification. Fastpitch bats carry a maximum 2-1/4 inch barrel and must be approved for your sanctioning body, whether that's USA Softball, USSSA, NSA or ISA, and high school and college play have their own certification requirements.

 

Why Buy Your Fastpitch Bat from LongballBats.com?

 

We stock a massive selection of brand new fastpitch softball bats from every brand that matters: Easton, DeMarini, Louisville Slugger, Marucci, Rawlings, Mizuno, Axe Bat, Warstic, Dudley, Anderson Bat Company, Suncoast and Soldier Sports. Best fastpitch bat for power hitters, best fastpitch bat for a 10 year old, best drop 10 fastpitch bat, whatever you're searching for: it's here and ready to ship.

 

More importantly, you get real expertise with your order. Since 2016 we've helped tens of thousands of players, parents and coaches find the right bat, and our staff's century of combined diamond experience means you get honest, specific recommendations. Tell us your player's age, size, level and hitting style, and we'll point you to her next favorite bat.

 

Shop our full fastpitch lineup today and give your hitter every advantage in the box.

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