Celia Blankenship

Professor Arnold

English 1101

14 September 2019

Evaluation Essay

Your cleats dig nervously into the dirt of the batter’s box, anticipating this next pitch. The

lights of the softball field are beaming onto you like an actress on a stage, all eyes are on you.

You’re worried for what is to come: a screwball with its wicked movement towards you, a

curveball with the everchanging movement making you reach for something out of touch, a

change-up making you swing for the fences at something that has not even come across the plate,

or a simple zinger of a fast ball that breezes past you before you can even take your bat off your

shoulder. But wait, what bat have you chosen for this excitingly anxious moment? I hope your

answer was the 2020 Demarini Prism, and if it was not, then I definitely recommend it! This bat

is the newest Demarini bat and if you play softball like I have, all of my life, you have definitely

heard of it. The 2020 Demarini Prism has double walled barrel, is light-weight, very balanced, an

extra padded grip, and great sound. It really is an all around great bat.

The Prism has a double walled barrel which is super rare in softball bats. The fiber barrel

is not only sleek, but it creates something as light as a feather but as powerful as a bomb. The

double-wall part of this equation is quite simple. There is a composite outer layer of the barrel

and below that, an inner wall. This inner wall has low compression and the gap between the two

layers creates a spring effect in the bat which launches the ball like a rocket when it comes into

contact with it. The Prism is permitted for every league but has to be a specific size and weight
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for collegiate athletes. Not only does the bat look amazing on the outside, it works perfectly on

the inside.

The bats I have are very different from the Prism in the aspect of weight and the balance

of my bats. Most of the bats I have ever gotten, including a Louisville LXT and a couple Easton

bats have all been a little end-loaded. This means that the end of the barrel is heavier than the rest

of the bat and throws the balance of the bat off as well as changes your swing. The material used

in the Prism causes the bat to be more balanced than a lot of other bats. Balancing your swing is

crucial to fastpitch softball to keep your hands high and not letting them drop because of your

end-loaded bat. The balance and light-weightedness makes the Demarini Prism a great idea and

stands out to a lot of hitters that want to have more control over their swing.

In the past 10 years of playing softball I have had, what my hitting coaches like to call, a

‘death-grip’ on my bats so having a nice padded grip means a lot to me as well as a lot of people

that play softball. The extra padding on the Prism is like a cloud compared to the worn and torn

grip on my bats. Because of the extra padding, your hands do not get blisters as easy and it is so

much more comfortable, creating an almost relaxed feeling. The smooth outer layer of the grip

makes the movement of your hands quicker like cutting butter. The sound the bat makes is a big

deal. Some bats make a ringing sound and end up hurting your hand but the contact sounds solid

and like a crack of a whip every single swing. I would not say the grip and sound is the biggest

and most important thing about this wonderful bat but they are definitely some advantages.
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This Demarini is very similar to the Easton Ghost. They both have the double-wall

system in the barrel which causes great distance on the ball. Although they are insanely similar,

the Prism has better sound, is lighter, and more balanced than the Ghost. The cost difference

between the two bats is not very significant. The Ghost is about $350 and the Prism is about

$400 which is pricey but you are getting a very sound bat that will last you a very long time.

Because Easton is a bigger company, people that do not know much about softball bats go to

them quicker than Demarini but Demarini has been growing a lot more in recent years with the

composite bats they have produced being rated very highly. Those are two great bats for anyone

to try but the Prism is higher rated than the Ghost.

As previously stated, although the Prism is pretty expensive, you are getting a very

impressive bat that will last you a very long time. When you are willing to pay the money, this

bat can be seen as an investment in your future in softball. The 2020 Demarini Prism has double

walled barrel, light-weighted, very balanced, an extra padded grip, and great sound. It really is an

all around great bat and definitely worth the money. When you decide to buy the Prism and put

in the work with your brand new Demarini, you will certainly be successful in your future

at-bats. And when that pitch comes your way, whatever it may be, you will know you can hit the

cover off of the ball.