I had this problem too...I kept my finger nails (the first three fingers on my pitching hand -- pointer, middle and ring finger) very, very short and had acrylic put over the top of the nail. Had to keep the nails below my finger tips. Then I sprayed on tuff skin on my finger tips and...
I tend to agree with Screwball. I started playing softball at 6 years of age...and there was no kid pitch, no machine pitch...and no tee ball. It was kid pitch from the get go....and we used a regular 12" ball. I pitched as a child...and in high school and 4 years in college...and my hands...