One yard. Three feet. Thirty-six inches.

It doesn’t sound like much, but it could be the distance that decides which teams advance to the state softball tournament.

The Minnesota State High School League moved the distance from the pitching mound to home plate from 40 to 43 feet last summer, using the standardized NCAA distance, in an effort to reduce pitchers’ dominance in the sport and improve safety.

Coaches and pitchers vary on their viewpoints but the general consensus is that the rule change has favored hitters, and even quality teams might struggle once section playoffs begin today if they don’t have pitchers experienced enough at throwing from the increased distance.

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