Final answer:
The coach's description of the pitch as 'low and outside' indicates that the ball was pitched outside the optimal hitting area, specifically too low and too far to the side of the strike zone.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the coach describes the softball pitcher's throw as "low and outside," they are referring to the location of the pitch relative to the strike zone. It means that the ball was pitched too far away from the central strike zone horizontally, or 'outside,' and vertically, or 'low.' Therefore, the correct answer to the question, 'A softball pitcher wants to pitch a strike but misses, and her coach describes her pitch as low and outside. What aspect of the pitch is the coach referring to?' The answer is C) The pitch was too low in the strike zone.
The coach is referring to the location of the pitch in relation to the strike zone. The strike zone is an area over home plate that determines whether a pitch is a strike or a ball. A pitch that is low and outside means that it was below the strike zone and outside the edges of the plate.