Help me with bat choice

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Apr 16, 2013
1,113
83
Hello DFP family. I'm looking for some help. My DD is a baseball player that's most likely going to try softball this season. She's played travel baseball at the higher levels for a long time now and is a very strong power hitter. She's used a -3 bat since she was 11. Coming to softball, she has an issue with the light bats. Currently she swings an end loaded 32" -3 bbcor baseball bat, and hits with power (even for the boys). I'm looking for the heaviest softball bat that's end loaded. Obviously this is a -8. However, what's going to be more end loaded? I'm looking at closeoutbats.com and there are some good deals on -8 bats. The only one that says it's end loaded is the CF8 Demarini. She's mostly used Easton and Demarini in baseball, but we hold no loyalty.

I'm also curious about 33" vs 34". She's around 5'8". I know nothing about how lengths work with softball. She's still in the 32" range with baseball and would probably stay there. Would a 34" be better for a girl her height, or stick with the 33"?

I also know there was a gent here on the site that sold bats, but I know there were some troubles with the business. I visit the site every few months, enjoy reading the batting threads and would enjoy buying "local" if it's possible.
 
Mar 20, 2014
918
28
Northwest
My DD is a power hitter now playing her first year of college ball. She has swung a 34/26 Xeno since she was 15 - she is 5'8". Her hitting coach in HS is a D1 coach and she always said that a batter should swing the longest, heaviest bat that they can swing without dropping their hands. You don't see a lot of softball players prior to HS that swing a 34/26 - my DD was the only one on her HS or TB team that could handle a bat that heavy and still keep up bat speed.

Has your DD had the opportunity to swing the longer/heavier SB bats? If you can get her somewhere where she can demo some bats that would help the decision a lot. In our experience the LS PXT swings end-loaded (DD demo'd it and didn't like the vibration) and I know that the Anderson Rockettech swings heavy. DD never liked the DeMarinis so I can't speak to them. She liked the Easton Ghost but the heaviest they have is a 34/25 and it was just too light for her (also not approved for USSSA) You might want to check out the bat weight database on this site - some bats are heavier or lighter than the sticker. https://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-equipment-product-reviews/20034-bat-weight-database.html

Todd at CoreSoftball20 is your guy for great prices on bats. He no longer carries LS bats because of the company not allowing him to discount bats anymore but he is great to work with so if you find a bat that your DD likes check with him before you buy it anywhere else. Good luck!
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
-8 bats are hard to come by in anything less than 33". If it was my DD I would try to get her to a 34" bat for extra plate coverage before I started adding end loaded weight. I would also like to point out that bat speed is at more of a premium in softball since reaction times are quicker with the closer pitch distance. If you have never seen it, watch ESPN's sport science video on softball.
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
Todd @ CoreSoftball20 is the guy/bat vendor you're referring to, he's been a huge help here for years and has a very loyal following! How old is your DD now? So your DD is used to swinging a 29oz bat?? If that's the case she shouldn't have any problem swinging a 34/26 -8 bat, even though she's 5'8" I might be a little worried having her jump up 2" in length to a 34" bat?? And just because the Demarini is the only bat that actually said end loaded, don't worry, if it's a -8, it's end loaded!

Some guys here go by the shoulder width to get the length of a bat, measure the shoulders and double it......example, shoulders measure 16.5" X 2 = 33" bat. Not an exact science but you get my point.

Cheapbats.com has some pretty smoking deals on -8 bats right now!
https://www.cheapbats.com/shop/soft...2/filters/Length+To+Weight~Minus+8+Ounce.html

Remember, bat speed is a key element in fastpitch, I think more so than in baseball.....something to consider as far as bat weight goes.
 
Last edited:
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
I really like the 2x shoulder width formula Annasdad posted above. In your daughters case I might go up an ounce or an inch from a standard -10. She won’t like it at first no matter how heavy you go so no sense in overdoing it. I would focus on the transition to a different feel, not finding a bat that feels the same. She won’t find it so don’t chase it.

I know that when a kid is used to swinging a heavier bat they often hate the feel of a lighter bat. This is going to be an important transition for her, and while her success won’t depend ONLY on the bat she chooses, be careful with it. An extra long, extra heavy bat might slow her transition.

I would emphasize and demonstrate to her that she is going to find fastpitch bats are livelier than what she is used to, even though it is lighter she will easily be able to drive the ball over the fence. I would emphasize maintaining the mechanics she has already developed. I would also emphasize that she might really want and need the additional adjustability that a lighter bat will afford while she transitions to fastpitch. I think what she is going to find that reaction time to a pitched ball will be shorter. If it was me, I’d be willing to spend the money to go up in weight as soon as she wants after she settles in to the adjustment but I wouldn’t start there.

I bet the transition period is pretty short, good hitters are good hitters. Good luck, I’d love to hear how this plays out.
 
Apr 16, 2013
1,113
83
Thanks for the opinions everyone. [MENTION=10597]sbmom19[/MENTION], she's had no opportunity to swing any -8 bats. In the one tournament she played in, she swung her wood bat for the first half of the tournament. The last few games she borrowed someone's 33" xeno. I think it was a -10. It was the heaviest "feeling" one she could find. She didn't hit any better with it, even a little worse as she was ahead of the ball. There is only one place I know of to demo bats. They don't have a large selection, even then I feel guilty going in and swinging bats, but buying from somewhere else. I will say she prefers the 2 piece bats, but most all seem to be 2 piece.
[MENTION=9329]ANNASDAD[/MENTION] , yes she swings a 29. When she was 11 she went to a 31/28 full time and moved to 32/29 at 12. She's 14 now, an '03. She's a very strong girl and has worked on her swing for many, many years. I know she hasn't seen collegiate level pitching, but neither has she in baseball. (Though she has played against Team USA and Team Canada women's team pitchers and did well.) She's adapted at every level so far and keeps swinging the bat faster and harder, so I don't expect that to really change. If it does we'll find her a lighter bat. However, there's not a huge difference between the bat speed with a lighter bat and a heavier one. The last time her bat speed was recorded (using the zepp) was back when she was 11ish, swinging her 32" wood bat. It was in the 60's, and she swings a lot faster/harder now. With a lighter -10 bat she only swung a few mph faster.
 

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