Question
What is the strike zone?
Last updated: September 16, 2025
Answer
- In baseball, the strike zone is the space over home plate between the batter’s knees and the midpoint between their shoulders and the top of their pants. Any pitch passing through that space is a strike.
- In slo-pitch softball, because the ball is lobbed in an arc (usually 6–12 feet high), the strike zone is defined differently. A pitch is only a strike if it travels in a legal arc and lands on home plate or on a designated strike mat.
- In Canadian slo-pitch, most leagues (such as Slo-Pitch National and Play Slo-Pitch) use a strike board or mat placed behind home plate. The rule is simple: if the pitch comes down in a legal arc and touches any part of the board or mat, it’s a strike; if it misses, it’s a ball.
Expert Answer
This answer has been verified by the Slo-Pitch Central team with expertise in softball and slo-pitch baseball.
