[header] How to break in a softball bat [title] Make sure your bat needs to be broken in. [step] Fast pitch softball bats that are 100 percent alloy, or that have an alloy barrel, are good to go right away, with no break-in period needed. Composite bats, however, have carbon fibers that need to be loosened before the bat reaches optimum performance. 
The fibers can be loosened during just one break-in session that will take about an hour. [substeps] Many fast pitch players hesitate to use a new composite bat in the middle of season, thinking that the break-in process is too time consuming.