How to Use a Pitching Machine for Softball and Baseball Practice | Set Up, Aim, and Feed Safely

Use a pitching machine on a mound or stable ground, aim it at home plate with both speed dials at 0, match the ball to the machine, then feed one ball at a time while every hitter wears a helmet.

Split the lower motor mount wrong and the first pitch sails over the backstop — a baseball machine with softball mounts shoves the ball high and inside no matter how you turn the dials. Getting how to use a pitching machine for softball and baseball practice right comes down to four things in order: placement, aim, speed, and ball type. Skip any one and the machine fights you all session.

This covers the full sequence the way the manufacturers and the YMCA of Central Ohio’s own field guidelines lay it out, plus the mistakes that chew up practice time.

Set The Machine Up Before Anyone Steps In The Box

Put the machine on the pitcher’s mound or a flat, stable surface, aim it at home plate, and confirm both speed dials sit at the 0 mark before the power cord goes anywhere near an outlet.

Franklin Sports’ machine manual calls for the unit to be aimed at the plate by eye first, with the pitch type and delivery angle selected on the dials before you feed the first ball. Position the mount so the wheels point at the strike zone, not at the batter.

Two setup details cause most of the trouble:

• Mount position: the lower motor mount must sit in the BASEBALL position for baseballs and the SOFTBALL position for softballs. The Franklin BATA-2 Softball unit ships factory-set for 12-inch softballs, so check that before you assume it’s wrong.
• Power: run the cord through a surge protector. Some models are voltage-specific — you’ll see 110V/220V or 110V AC on the label — so match the machine to your outlet before plugging in.

Set both dials to 0, then plug in. Dial #1 controls the top wheel and dial #2 the bottom on most two-wheel models, and bringing them up together keeps the machine from lurching on startup.

Feeding Work: How To Run The Machine Pitch After Pitch

Once both wheels reach their target speed, drop one ball into the feed chute and let the machine do the work — don’t hand-feed faster than the wheels can grab.

Franklin’s manual is specific here: wait until both wheels hit the target speed before feeding, then adjust location with the aim and dial settings between pitches, not while a ball is in the chute. Feeding too fast is one of the most common mistakes in official guidance, right alongside running without a screen.

Pitch types work like this on a combination machine. Fastballs come off even wheel settings. Risers use a specific wheel position paired with fastball settings. Softball pitches are thrown similarly to baseball on most units, though slowpitch softball reads differently than the fastpitch game — set your expectations to the machine’s manual, not to what a live pitcher would throw.

Aim stays a moving target. Test a few pitches with the batter standing clear, watch where the ball crosses the plate, and walk the machine’s aim in rather than asking a hitter to chase bad location.

Safety Rules That Apply Every Single Session

The YMCA of Central Ohio’s pitching machine guidelines require batting helmets for every participant under 18, a pitching net protecting the pitcher, and empty space in front of the machine while it runs. Nobody touches the wheels until they stop completely.

The full list, pulled from that document and the machine manuals:

• All batters in NOCSAE-approved batting helmets, no exceptions for age or experience.
• A protective screen in front of the machine and a pitching net for the pitcher.
• Batter stands clear during test pitches and steps in only after aim is confirmed.
• Adult supervision any time the machine is powered on.
• Dry balls only — wet balls slip and throw off both speed and location.
• Never reach hands inside the machine. Never leave it running unattended.
• Dials to 0 before shutdown, then unplug before you adjust anything.

If you’re weighing models before you buy, the throw speed and ball compatibility of a JUGS MVP Combo or a Franklin BATA-2 differ enough to matter. Our tested baseball softball pitching machine roundup breaks down speed, ball size, and price by model so you buy once. Full spec sheets live on JUGS Sports’ product page for the MVP Combo.

FAQs

What speed should a beginner start at?

Start slower than you think you need and work up. Bring both wheels to a low target speed first, let the batter see a few pitches, then raise both dials together. Jumping straight to game speed before a hitter is loose is where most bad habits and most flinches start.

Can one machine handle both baseballs and softballs?

Only if it’s a combination unit and you move the lower motor mount to the matching position. Baseballs need the BASEBALL setting, softballs the SOFTBALL setting. The BATA-2 Softball model is factory-configured for 12-inch softballs, so verify your mount before assuming the machine is broken.

Why do my pitches keep landing high and inside?

Usually the mount position or the ball type. A softball dropped into a machine set for baseballs, or the reverse, throws off both speed and location. Check the mount first, then re-aim at the plate and run a few test pitches with the batter standing clear.