The desperation to reduce strikeouts and get more balls in play has reached a point that Major League Baseball has a deal with the independent Atlantic League to move back the pitcher's mound a foot, to 61 feet, 6 inches, starting in early August.
There's a possibility this will cause more wild pitches on sliders in the dirt than cut into strikeouts, but there's also an example where moving back the pitchers did wonders to improve competition.
The pitching rubber on the flat ground of the circle was moved back from 40 feet to 43 feet in scholastic and college softball in 2011. Suddenly, fast-pitch became a contest with a degree of hitting rather than one where runs were more precious than soccer goals.
You could go four innings without seeing a one-out sacrifice bunt — an enormous improvement.
I signed up to cover the Gophers' surprise run to the Women's College World Series in May 2019 in Oklahoma City. It was outstanding for the fast pace, athletic excellence and Leo's BBQ down the street.
The Gophers went out to eventual champion UCLA (and the great Rachel Garcia) and Washington in double-elimination.
Two years later, coach Jamie Trachsel has gone off to Ole Miss, but a collection of juniors from that World Series lineup — infielders MaKenna Partain and Katelyn Kemmetmueller, outfielder Carlie Brandt (now the shortstop), and ace pitcher Amber Fiser — remain key components for a Gophers' team currently 25-7 and in second place in this spring's all-Big Ten race.
There's no Big Ten tournament, so the Gophers' clear entry into the 64-team NCAA bracket will be to remain in the top three in the standings.
