If you have a baseball player and a softball player in the same family, you've probably wondered whether you need two nets. The short answer: no. A good 7x7ft training net handles both sports fine. The longer answer involves a few small adjustments that make the shared net work better for both athletes.
Why the same net works
Both sports use similar bat swings, similar ball speeds at the youth level, and similar net requirements. A net is a target and a ball catcher — it doesn't know or care what sport the ball came from. The frame strength and mesh durability you need for baseball are the same you need for softball, especially with fastpitch balls coming off the bat at comparable speeds.
Adjusting for the difference
Softball pitchers throw underhand and from closer distance. For pitching practice, set the strike zone target lower and bring the net in a few feet — underhand delivery doesn't need the same clearance as overhand. For hitting, the tee placement is basically identical. The net itself doesn't change; only the setup does.
Pick the net that fits both
Our 7x7ft nets at $69.99 come with two strike zone targets and an adjustable batting tee — everything both players need in one box. The tee height range covers both youth baseball and softball stances, and the targets adjust to different strike zone heights without tools.
The practical schedule
If the two kids are practicing in the same session, alternate: 15 minutes of baseball tee work, then 15 minutes of softball tee work, then shared pitching practice with the target set to the smaller strike zone. One net, one setup, two kids getting reps. That's the most efficient practice schedule in the neighborhood.