Wild Pitch Meaning in Softball

A wild pitch is a delivery that is too high or wide for the catcher. The ball is so far away that the catcher cannot stop it easily. This allows any baserunners to advance to the following base while ball rolls. A wild pitch is credited to the pitcher rather than the catcher in stats. A pitcher loses grip and the ball flies over the head of catcher. The runner on second base sprints to third before the defense recovers ball. This mistake can lead to runs if a player is in scoring position. Pitchers work on their control to minimize the number of wild pitches thrown. Maintaining a consistent release point helps prevent these costly errors during the game.