Winter Softball
Winter Softball in Ireland includes Fastpitch Softball Leagues, Winter Softball Leagues, Intervarsity Softball, Indoor Softball and Softball Business Leagues.
Fastpitch Softball Leagues
Fastpitch Softball is basically a Women’s Competitive version of Baseball, and differs from the Coed / Mixed version of Softball played in Ireland since the 1980s, as the pitching is fast and not in a soft arc, as in the recreational version of the sport (hence the name softball). There are 9 players in a Fastpitch Softball team, like in Baseball as opposed to 10 in Co-Ed (Mixed) Recreational Softball.
The Fastpitch Ireland programme dates from the early 2000s, when two Women’s teams were created, and then in the 2010s, the Softball Ireland National team (who played in both the World Championships and European Championships) was started.
In 2019-20 the first Softball Ireland Irish National Fastpitch League began, playing all its matches on the turf pitch at the National Indoor Arena in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Unlike the earlier Fastpitch Softball in Ireland, this is Coed / Mixed, with an equal representation of Men to Women (5:5).
Here are links to various Fastpitch competitions in Ireland and Internationally, involving Ireland teams.
Irish National Fastpitch League
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Softball Ireland Irish National Fastpitch League Coed (Seasons):
Irish Baseball & Softball Federation Ladies Fastpitch (Seasons):
Indoor Softball
Indoor Softball is played – as its name suggests – indoors, with soft ball (a softball is usually hard inspite of its name ) and bases taped onto the floor. Innings are timed and it is one point for getting on base and one point for getting home, however, a team loses a point for an out. Home runs are scored when the ball hits the back wall and bounces back off the floor without being caught – this enables all players on base – as well as the hitter – to advance back to home plate.
Indoor Softball
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Indoor Softball Tournaments (Overviews):
Softball Ireland Winter Indoor Softball Tournament 2011-2017
Softball Ireland Dublin Indoor Softball Tournament 2008-2015
Indoor Softball Seasons:
Intervarsity Softball
Intervarsity Softball has been played in Ireland since 2001. Below you will find links to the Results & Tables of each Season.
Winter Softball Leagues
The Gemstorm-sponsored Winter League ran from 1999-2000 to 2001-02, with teams named after Big Cats. Trinity College Dublin Tigers and University College Dublin Wildcats joined in 2000-01.
Gemstorm Winter League
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LSA Gemstorm Winter League (Seasons):
Teams named after Big Cats plus Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin