Abstract: A pitching practice apparatus includes a frontal mechanical strike zone target at which the pitcher aims the ball and which contains yielding elements enabling the ball to pass rearwardly through a photoelectric sensing plane having sensing beams on two orthogonal axes. Behind the photoelectric sensing arrangement which precisely locates the position of the ball in the strike zone horizontally and vertically is a spring-mounted ball return panel against which the pitched ball impinges and is returned to the pitcher by rebounding from the panel. A ball return trough forming the floor of the apparatus extends between the ball return panel and the frontal strike zone target.