How to Grip and Snap a Curveball in Softball

When it comes to breaking pitches like curveballs, your grip and snap are key.

Thrown to the corner of the plate, a curveball is a good pitch to use when trying to throw off opposing batters. The curveball is a breaking pitch, so the movement from your grip and snap can make or break its success.

CURVEBALL GRIP

Like a screwball, you can use either a four-seam or two-seam grip when pitching a curveball. However, these two pitch types travel to opposite sides of the plate. This causes small differences to have a big impact.

“With the curve, [you] have the same exact two grip options as [a] screwball,” former professional softball player Jessica Vogel says.

When using a four-seam grip, you will want to look for an upside down “C” and place as many fingers on the seam as possible. However, many pitchers prefer to use a two-seam grip for curveballs. This allows them to have a finger on each seam.

For a two-seam pitch, you will look for vertical seams running parallel to each other. Align a finger on each seam. For the curveball, you will really want to focus on your middle and index fingers.

CURVEBALL SNAP

As you release your curveball, you will want to keep your wrist firm. It is important to focus on keeping your fingers underneath the ball as your arm path crosses your body. Imagine that you are trying to release the pitch in front of your belly button.

For more information on throwing a curveball, check out these tips. To learn how to grip and snap other pitch types read these guides on the fastball and screwball.