text: what is more affective at getting people out in high arc softball pitching back spin or forward spin?   if you look at it as similar to english on a billiard ball, then backspin should result in more ground balls, while a forespin should tend towards more fly balls.  but in slow pitch, it's hard to get enough spin to get much movement on the ball.  back when i was younger, i was working on a bit of a curveball in slow pitch -- doesn't get much movement, but enough to fool some batters.