Catawba College announced that a high-tech ball tracking software has been installed at Newman Park. With this installation, Catawba Baseball will become the first college team to utilize an in-game ball tracking system using imaging technology. The system will provide the coaching staff with immediate and highly accurate data each baseball pitched during live games.
The tracking system was recently installed by Yakkertech, a sports performance imaging technology firm based in Southeast Michigan. The advanced imaging technology enables coaches to capture data on a single pitched baseball or softball. Because the movement of the seams on the ball are clearly detected, the software can quickly determine the exact movement of the ball and the corresponding spin axis.
"We recently deployed the portable Yakkertech device with our team with great success this season and are excited now that we will also have the same data collected during the game," says Jim Gantt, Head Coach for Catawba Baseball.
Catawba will now be able to easily compare highly accurate statistics collected in bullpen sessions with the pitching data collected during the game – an incredibly valuable tool for enhancing pitcher development.
