[Ksyrup]

Well, in softball that's not absent. Most of the players/coaches/parents will yell to the batter to "WEAR IT" which is the same as "EAT IT." So it's not so much a way to avoid getting hit as it is a way to avoid getting hurt when you can't avoid getting hit.

Also, this differs depending on what organization's rules you are using in softball, but there's generally no requirement that the batter has to make an effort to avoid the pitch. If they are not hanging over the river/plate and they don't move or make an effort to move into the pitch, it's a HBP.

So there's certainly an incentive to "stay in there" in softball, but the technique of rolling away from a ball to avoid injury is taught. Most of the girls wear evoshield and try to get hit on the elbow. But if the ball is coming right at them, they have been taught to roll away from the pitch.