Excerpt reprinted by permission of Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL., from COACHING FASTPITCH SOFTBALL SUCCESSFULLY, SECOND EDITION by Kathy Veroni and Roanna Brazier. Copyright © 2006 by Human Kinetics. Available in bookstores, by calling 1-800-747-4457, or online at www.humankinetics.com. Click Here for a Direct Link to the book at Human Kinetics

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CHAPTER

9

OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES

My ideal offense is one that executes proper fundamentals consistently and under pressure. I like an aggressive offense that attacks the ball at the plate and takes the extra bag on the base paths. This type of offense puts constant pressure on the defense. The offensive strategies presented in this chapter are written with this in mind.

Baserunning Principles

Smart, aggressive, instinctive baserunning is a strategic and effective weapon that can always keep the defense guessing. The first step in teaching effective baserunning is to train your athletes to make their own decisions. Many young athletes have been taught to rely on their coach to tell them everything—when to run, when not to run, and when to take an extra base. As a result, they never develop that game sense. I try to put as much responsibility on the player as possible. The athletes need to learn how to see the game while they are running, so we design gamelike drills for them to do so. We encourage them in practice to be overly aggressive and find out what their limits are so that during the game, they will know what they can and cannot do.

By continually putting your players in competition during practice, you can simultaneously teach them technical skills and decision making, training them to develop the instinctive responses they will need during the season. Coaches should not be afraid to stop a drill to point out when a player is making an error. The goal is to quickly correct the mistake by making that player, as well as her teammates, aware of the correct course of action in a given situation. Whenever we hit, we also run the bases. We always work on reading the ball off the bat, going for two bases at a time instead of one, and ensuring that our players always know that their job is to score on every ball that is hit. We regularly stop practice to call attention to something that can be applied in a game.

Baserunning circuits, which emphasize reading and reacting, can be placed into offensive and defensive drills. In the circuits, the bases are loaded and the runners focus on a different skill at each base. At first base, they may be working on base starts for a steal. At second, they might be taking a large lead or anticipating a bunt. At third, they might practice what to do when a contact play is on or practice tagging up. In each drill, the runner is forced to read the ball, no matter where it goes. We give the athletes a situation and teach them to read it, both offensively and defensively.

Leads

A base runner’s leadoff stance will vary from base to base. I like the rocker step, or the sprinter start, at first and second (see figure 9.1). In this position, one foot is on the base, and one foot is behind. The base runner rocks back as the pitcher is in the downswing of the pitch. The runner should time her start so that she is leaving the base when the pitcher’s heel has left the rubber. This allows the runner to be gone by the time the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. This cue lets her think about the runner’s foot and the pitcher’s foot. On third base, we use a traditional baseball start with one foot on the base and the other in front of the base because I believe it opens up the entire field to the runner’s view.

The length of a base runner’s lead is a regular sized step and a dive away from the base. If the infield area is firm and in good shape, the runner will be able to get back to first with greater ease. If the dirt is loose or wet, the runner’s lead will have to be shortened.

Turns

In the ideal turn, the runner takes a right angle toward second base. But we teach three different methods according to the athleticism of our players. We start off by teaching an abbreviated turn so the runner doesn’t lose speed on her approach to the base. The runner begins angling out for her turn when she is about 20 feet (6 meters) from the base. The length of the angle away from the base should be no farther than 5 or 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters). Once the runner has reached her ideal angle away from the base, she must begin angling toward the base gradually so she can maintain as much speed and balance as possible. The next method is a tight circle around all bases. A small semicircle is used from bag to bag. The third and quickest method, but most advanced, is the right angle to second. All methods require a significant dipping of the left shoulder and a strong lean in toward the infield. Either foot can land on the front inside corner of the base, but the next step needs to be with the foot pointed at second base (see figure 9.2).

Tagging Up

In tagging up, the runner puts one foot on the bag and turns to face the catch. This is a simple concept of the runner putting herself in the best possible position for seeing the ball and the defensive players. It is best if she times her start so she leaves the base when she sees the ball hit the leather or sees that it will hit the ground. The base runner should see the catch herself to avoid communication problems between the player and coach.

When the base runner feels she can safely make it to the next bag after the catch is made, this will warrant a tag. When the ball is hit foul and when the right fielder is running toward the line, the runner should always tag. All other situations require a knowledge of the game situation, speed of the runner, strength of the fielder’s arm, where the other runners are, and the placement of the hit. We have our players automatically think run unless a coach holds them up. This avoids a miscommunication between the coach and player.

When the situation does not call for a tag, the runner needs to get a safe lead. The runner should get far enough away from the bag that she can make it to the next safely if the ball drops, yet close enough that she can get back safely. Going “halfway” is not a phrase we use, because very few hits require the runner to actually be halfway down the line. The base runner should get set and watch the catch and not assume whether it will be caught or dropped.

Staying in the Path

The runner should stay in the path of a thrown ball on the bases. Any time a runner can legally interfere with the throw from one fielder to another, she should do so. However, she does not want to reduce her time to the next base by changing her course on the base path. For example, with the runner at first base and a ball hit to the second baseman’s left, the runner needs to stay on the outside of the base path. With a runner on second and a ground ball hit to the shortstop’s right, the runner should run directly toward the third baseman’s glove, forcing a difficult throw from the shortstop to the third baseman.

Another example occurs when the runner is at third and the third baseman fields the ball going close to the line. The runner should stay in the inside of the base path as she runs toward home plate, making a difficult throw for the third baseman to the catcher. If the third baseman catches the ball in foul territory, then the runner would stay on the outside of the base path. The runner can never obstruct the view of the player fielding the ball by throwing up her arms or hands or by going out of the baseline.

When the runner is advancing to second base on a ground ball to the right side of the infield, she must avoid being tagged by the second baseman. The runner should make every attempt to get by the second baseman, but if she cannot, she must make the infielder come toward her to make the tag in order to avoid a double play at first.

Sliding

The desire and the ability to slide are two important facets of aggressive baserunning. Sliding must be taught so that it will be utilized in the game and so that poor techniques will not result in injuries. There are three reasons to slide:

1. To reach a base going full speed without going by it.
   
   
2. To avoid a tag at a base.
   
   
3. To break up a double play attempt.
   
   

Once the runner decides to slide, she must slide without hesitation. I will describe five slides: the “figure four” slide, the pop-up slide off the figure four, the hook slide, the go by slide, and the headfirst slide.

Figure Four Slide:

The “figure four” slide allows the runner to go directly into the base. Either leg can be bent with the lower part of the bent leg crossing under the knee of the straight leg. The bent leg remains parallel to the ground in the slide. The cleats of the shoe that is underneath should be facing out away from the ground. The straight leg is extended forward with the knee slightly bent, and the foot is 5 to 10 inches (12.7 to 25.4 centimeters) off the ground. The buttocks remain fully on the ground with the upper body extended back to where the shoulder blades almost touch the ground. The neck is arched forward with the chin toward the chest. The arms are bent and the hands are up in the air (see figure 9.3).

Pop-Up Slide:

The pop-up slide is very similar to the “figure four” except that the runner finishes the slide by standing on the base and being ready to advance to the next base. The runner starts the slide about eight feet (2.4 meters) from the base with the upper body remaining in a sit-up position. The body weight is on the bent lower leg and extended back to the buttocks (see figure 9.4a). The extended leg is slightly bent and raised three to five inches (7.6 to 12.7 centi-meters) off the ground, and the instep of the extended leg contacts the bag. As bag contact is made, the extended leg straightens and the upper body moves forward. This movement should be enough to carry the runner back to the upward position (see figure 9.4b).

Hook Slide:

The hook slide is used to avoid a tag. In this slide, the ball has beaten the runner to the base but may be off target. When sliding to the right side, the left leg bends with the foot out away from the body and the right leg straight out in front. The player’s weight should be on the right part of the buttocks with the upper body in a flat position and the head up. The bag is “hooked” with the top of the left foot’s toes or shoelaces.

Go By Slide:

The go by slide is another slide we use to avoid a tag. When sliding to the right side of the bag, the runner puts herself in the “figure four” position, but slides by the bag and grabs it with her hand (see figure 9.5).

Headfirst Slide:

The headfirst slide allows the base runner to get to the base quicker than any other slide. The disadvantage of the headfirst slide is that it takes longer for the runner to come to her feet and continue on to the next base. I do not recommend sliding headfirst into a tag play at home when the catcher is blocking the plate or when attempting to break up a double play. The slide is not a dive or a leap, but rather should appear as if the runner were gliding on the top of water. Her arms should be stretched forward with a slight bend in the elbows, and her head should be up to see the base. Her legs, chest, and arms are all in one parallel plane to the ground. Contact with the ground is made with the forearms, chest, and thighs, all at the same time (see figure 9.6).

Going to First

After contact, the batter needs to get to full speed by her second step. Many times, a batter base runner gets thrown out at first by a step, so it is important to work on quickness out of the box. On the way to first, she should sneak a peek over her left shoulder a few steps down the line to find out if she will be rounding first or running through it. Tilting the head slightly toward the infield without slowing down will enable her to see. After picking up the path of the ball, the runner must direct her attention to the bag itself.

I instruct the base runner to make the decision about whether to check the coach before going to second or not by the position of the hit. On anything hit up the middle and over to the right-field foul line, the runner makes her own decision. On anything hit to the third-base side of the shortstop, she must look to the first-base coach. This strategy allows the runner to react on her own without losing a step. When necessary, the coach should communicate visually and vocally to the runner regarding whether she should run through the base, take a turn, or go for second.

Every sure single must be considered a possible double. The runner must make the defense stop her in her effort to get to second. Only when the defense makes the play does the runner go back to first. If a coach is going to allow the players the opportunity to make many of their base-path decisions, she must spend time discussing baserunning philosophy. Some factors the runner must concern herself with are her speed, the condition of the base path, the inning and the score of the game, the number of outs, who the hitter at the plate is, and the distance of the throw.

The quickest way to the bag is running through it. The only time we allow a batter base runner to dive into first is to avoid a tag from an errant throw.

Runner at First

My first thought when a runner is at first base is to steal second if we can. It is my first choice if the runner is quick and the catcher is just above average, average, or below average. By teaching the runner to leave on the pitcher’s heel release from the mound and to use a headfirst or avoidance slide, I feel we can be at least 90 percent successful. After a stolen base, our chance of scoring is very high.

If we want something less risky, we consider the sacrifice bunt. As the batter squares, we want her to keep all options open. The batter needs to be able to read the defense and act accordingly. We work on four types of bunts: sacrifice, push bunt, slap, and fake slap. If the middle infielders commit early and are playing back, a slap is very effective. If the corners are aggressive and charge, the hitter should look to execute a push bunt. If the corners and middle infielders are at a regular depth, the hitter should look to fake slap and bunt or hit away. We also consider a hit-and-run in this situation if we have a good runner and contact hitter.

Fake and Delayed Steals

The fake steal will allow the coach to see how the middle infielders react when the runner makes a break for second. If the coach sees one or both of them shifting their position toward second, then they will be susceptible to the hit-and-run play. The fake steal might open up a hole for the batter if one or both of the middle infielders shift toward second.

With the delayed steal, the runner conceals her intent to steal and then breaks for the bag when the catcher throws the ball back to the pitcher or to the first baseman. The delayed steal is not a called play. The player with good game sense, quick foot speed, and quick reaction is the one who is the delayed stealer. Those designated must study the pitcher and the catcher. A pitcher who looks lazy, does not pay attention to the runner on every pitch, or gets upset with her pitching or the umpiring is a likely candidate to steal on. The catcher who gets into a routine and throws the ball back to the pitcher with very little thought of the runner is also a candidate. I want my designated -stealers to think about the delayed steal as soon as they reach any base, but they must be students of the play and study the pitcher and catcher throughout the game to learn their rhythm. An aggressive catcher is also a candidate to steal on because she will try to pick off the runner at first. My runner can set up that play by appearing to be too far off the base on the leadoff, and when the catcher tries to pick her off, BOOM, she’s gone.

Runner at First and a Fly Ball:

Too many times we see base runners not being aggressive on fly balls to the outfield. If the outfielder drops the ball, the runner is not in a good position to advance to second and possibly third. When the ball is in the air, the runner should get well off first base (a safe lead) and focus in on the outfielder. Once the ball is caught, the runner makes eye contact with the outfielder, forcing her to throw to first. A simple rule of thumb is this: The farther the runner is from the fly ball, the farther away from first base she should be. If the ball is hit very deep and there is the possibility of a catch, the first-base coach yells “Tag” and then makes the decision to send the runner on the catch. The runner must tag up on any foul ball hit in the air and if other base runners are tagging. If the runner is tagging up, she is doing so with the intent to advance to second or to make the defense think she is by faking and drawing a throw.

Going to Second

The runner leaving first should be completely aware of where the softball is. As is the case with the runner rounding first, I want the runner to make the decision whether to slide into second, round second, or go to third. The runner should pick up the third-base coach when the ball is hit behind her or in a location where she cannot easily see it in play, for example, on

• any ball hit between right center to the right-field line,
  
  
• any ground ball hit behind the runner heading for second, or
  
  
• a hit-and-run when the ball is hit behind the runner.

The runner must pick up the coach’s signal about 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6.0 meters) from second. I find it helpful to do one of three things to signal the runner:

• Hold both arms high in the air to tell the runner to round the bag and find the ball.
  
  
• Wave both arms in a circular pattern to bring the runner to third.
  
  
• Point at second base to let the runner know to take a turn but to stay near the base.
  
  

Runner at Second

As soon as the runner reaches second base, she must quickly review the outs, the inning, the depth of the outfielders, and the hitter at the plate. She should check the third-base coach for a sign and continue to check after each pitch. On every pitch, the runner should take an explosive jump off the base, selling a stolen base attempt.

Second base is the “keystone”: When we get a player there, we must think about scoring. Can she steal third? I think this is the easiest base to steal for the following reasons: (1) The catcher’s vision and throw are blocked by the batter in the batter’s box, (2) the communication between the shortstop and third baseman regarding who is covering and when is very difficult, and (3) the batter can decoy the third baseman and shortstop to confuse their coverage of third. I want to know if my runner can beat the shortstop to the base, if we can decoy the third baseman and pull her up with a fake bunt, if we can fake slap and freeze the shortstop, or if the shortstop cheats toward third.

One option is to send the runner if she can beat the shortstop to the bag and the third baseman is covering the steal. The batter stays in her normal stance until the ball is nearly to the plate. She should then attempt a fake bunt at the last second by putting her bat over the ball as it crosses the strike zone. This will pull the third baseman in by a few steps, and the base runner can beat the shortstop to third.

Another option, if we are going to steal and the shortstop is cheating toward third, is to have the batter square to bunt to draw in the third baseman, and then pull back, swing, and miss. This will freeze the shortstop, and the footrace to third is on. If the shortstop knows better than to freeze, she will try to cover third and may overcommit. This is the time to hit the ball on the ground to the shortstop area because she will not be there; she is breaking to cover third. This is our slap-and-steal or our hit-and-run play.

Runner at Second and a Fly Ball

When a runner on second base is reacting to a fly ball, she must quickly decide whether or not to tag. Most of the time the decision will have to be made by the runner, but there are some general rules I teach. They are as follows:

• Tag up on any foul fly ball. If there is any doubt about the ball being fair or foul, treat it as being fair. If the ball is caught in foul territory, the runner will make the decision about advancing to third. Tag on a ball that the right fielder must move toward the line or go back to catch.
  
  
• Tag up on all deep fly balls that are catchable in the outfield. Don’t tag on second when there is any chance the ball will not be caught.
  
  
• On a fly ball where the outfielder has a play on the runner going to third, make every effort to get to third on the catch. However, with one out, a runner should be more conservative because we do not want to make the third out at third base. If the runner decides she cannot tag and advance, she should get as far away from second as she can and still be able to return to the base if the outfielder makes a throw to second. If there is a possibility that the outfielder will not make the catch, the runner should never be tagging at the base.
  
  
• With runners at both second and third or first, second, and third, if a routine fly ball is hit to the outfield, runners should tag if there is a chance the runner on third can score on the catch. On a throw to the plate, the runner on second will tag and advance to third. If the outfielder making the catch has no play on the runner from third, it is the decision of the runner on second whether to attempt to advance to third. If the runner on second sees that the runner on third is not going to tag on a catch, she must come down the base path toward third as far as possible (and still be able to return to second if the play is made there).

Runner at Second and a Ground Ball

This represents one of the biggest decisions the runner must make, and we spend a lot of time giving the runners the opportunity to tune their instincts. Here are some general rules to follow when there are less than two outs and the runner is not forced to advance.

• If the ball is hit behind the runner after her primary lead, she should be able to advance to third.
  
  
• If the ball is hit in front of the runner after her primary lead, she must stay balanced and advance only after the throw is made to first. This delayed advancement is made only if the runner knows she can beat the return throw to third.
  
  
• On a ground ball going toward the shortstop, if the runner can get over the ball and put it behind her, she can continue to third. The runner’s speed, the jump she gets, and the defensive ability of the shortstop must be taken into consideration on a ball hit in the area of the shortstop.
  
  
• When the runner has to go to third because of a force play, I encourage her to run directly toward the third baseman’s glove or the shortstop’s glove if the shortstop is covering third.

Going to Third

The runner leaving second base is responsible for her actions until signaled to by the third-base coach. I like to move out of the coach’s box toward the plate so that I can make good eye contact with the runner rounding third, give myself a little more time to decide what I want the runner to do, and, if necessary, give myself time to change my mind. If the ball is in front of the runner as she approaches third, she can use her own judgment on whether or not to advance to the plate.

With a ball hit behind the runner, the third-base coach will be making all of the decisions on advancing to the plate, rounding the base and holding, or stopping at third. The runner should always think about scoring as she heads toward third, and then she can make the adjustment if held up. I use the following signs for the runner approaching third:

• Waving one arm in a circular motion—I definitely want the runner to score.
  
  
• Holding both arms high in the air—I am telling the runner I do not want her to score. I want her to aggressively round the base and then to find the ball as she continues with a shuffle step toward the plate. The runner needs to locate the ball after contacting third and now is responsible for the next decision.
  
  
• Yelling “Back”—I use this command when the runner has aggressively rounded the base and is heading for the plate. I yell “Back” and that conveys to the runner to immediately stop and return to third. The runner must be prepared to dive back.
  
  
• Getting down on one knee and bringing both arms down toward the ground—I want the runner to slide; there is going to be a play made at third. The runner is responsible for finding the ball if it gets by the third baseman.
  
  

Runner at Third

Once the runner reaches third, she must review the game situation, such as the outs, score, and inning. I review with the runner what I want her to do on various ground balls, fly balls, and passed balls. She must check for signs each time she returns to the base.

Her lead should take her a step and a dive away from the bag in foul territory. She should not turn her back away from the ball as she is heading back to the bag unless there is a throw to the bag. If there is a play, the quickest way back to the bag is in foul territory away from the reach of the third baseman.

I always tell the runner it is her call on a passed ball or wild pitch. By this, I mean if she has a good lead and is leaning toward the plate and sees the ball get by the catcher, she decides whether she can beat the play to the plate.

As soon as I can, I tell the runner to stay on the bag on a fly and to take off on a fly blooper. I also let her know when to go on a ground ball in the slot, score on an error, or go on an instinct ground ball. An instinct ground ball is a ground ball that the runner believes she can score on, taking into consideration her speed, the speed of the ground ball, and the depth of the defense. With a fly blooper I say, “Get off the bag, get off the bag,” and we score when the ball hits the ground. When a ground ball is hit in the slot (the area between the corners and the pitcher), I want the runner to score. When there’s an error, I coach my runners to read the play and try to score. In the final analysis, they use their instincts, and they would score on a ground ball that pulls the corners way out of position or on a play in which the corners go down on the ground to field the ball. They may also be able to score on the throw from the third baseman to the first baseman.

The on-deck hitter is the coach of the runner trying to score. As soon as the ball is hit, she must position herself near the backstop on the first-base side of the plate, in a direct line with the runner. She gives the same signs as the third-base coach: arms up and yelling “Up, up, up” or getting down on one knee and motioning with both hands to the ground and yelling “Hit it.” Once she informs the runner to slide, the runner must stay with the signal even though the play might not develop. The on-deck hitter must be sure she is not too close to the plate where she might be struck by the ball.

Runner at Third and a Fly Ball:

On every ball hit in the air, I want my runners to respond by heading back to the bag with the intention of tagging. Once she is at the bag and evaluates the hit, then one of the following scenarios will occur:

• Foul ball—I want my runners to tag up on any foul ball hit in the air. If there is any doubt about whether the ball might be fair, they should treat it as fair. I will make the decision on whether to score or not. It will depend on the game situation or the depth of the ball. I will say, “We’re going to go” if I want them to score, or “Not going to go, draw the throw.” When they’re drawing the throw, I want them to go a safe distance down the line, keep balanced, and watch the throw coming to the plate. If the ball gets by the catcher, they must read the play and decide to score or return to third.
  
  
• Routine or deep fly—The same cues are given as in the previous situation. I want the runner watching the ball and leaving exactly as the ball touches the outfielder’s glove. I will send the runner if the fielder is moving either back or laterally on a routine fly ball.
  
  
• Short fly ball—If the ball is too short to tag and score, then the runner will “get off the bag.” The runner’s instincts should tell her if the ball will not be caught.

Runner at Third and a Ground Ball

When there is the possibility of a ground ball with less than two outs, I will tell the runner my options prior to the ball being pitched. Depending on the situation, I tell them any one of the following:

• Not going to go on a ground ball but draw the throw.
• Going on a ground ball in the slot.
• Going on any ground ball anywhere (if there is another runner on second).
• Instinct ground ball (she will attempt to score if she sees an error, if she gets a great jump on the ground ball, or on a slow ground ball).

Runners at Second and Third

With runners at second and third, we are going to send the runner to the plate on any ground ball to the infield. The runner at second must get to third on the ground ball, and the batter base runner, after reaching first, must quickly locate the ball and possibly get to second. The runner on third will be going on any ground ball anywhere. By sending the runner to the plate, this forces the infielders to field the ball and make a good throw under a lot of pressure, and the catcher must execute a good tag. If the runner is out at the plate, the worst that can happen is that we will have runners at first and third.

Suicide and Safety Squeeze

There are two types of bunts that attempt to score the runner from third: the safety and the suicide squeeze. On the safety squeeze, the runner does not go until the ball is obviously going down toward the ground. This necessitates the runner waiting a split second to be sure the pitch was not missed or popped up. I do not like to use the safety squeeze because I feel that the delay reduces our chances of scoring the runner.

The suicide is a play to call only with the batters whose bat control you trust. In the suicide squeeze, the runner is going on the pitch as if she were stealing home. An alert base runner will be able to detect a called pitchout by the catcher and retreat back to third. I like to use the squeeze when the corners are playing a little deep and we have less than two outs, with a solid bunter at the plate and an above average base runner.

The Big Bunter We recently had a big, new secret weapon. We were a little short on pinch hitters, but the one we did have was six feet three inches tall and intimidating. The best part was that we would bring her in the game with a runner at third. The opponents would see her and try to size her up. We would have her take the first pitch as if she were going to hit. Then on the next pitch we would put on the squeeze play. We were over 90 percent successful with this play. Her size said big, but her touch was soft and accurate and scored runs.

Suicide Hit-and-Run

The suicide hit-and-run is another play with the runner on third going on the pitch. The batter must execute a ground ball. This is a great play against a team that overplays a possible bunt or keeps their middle infielders slightly deep. The pressure is on the batter to put the ball on the ground.

Special Plays

We do not have trick plays in our offense. But there are times when the bats will go cold and we must create runs or manufacture an offense. The score, inning, batter, and base runner are all factors that will be considered when determining which of these plays to use.

First and Third This is a play that often trades an out for a run. I send the runner from first to second at a full-speed run with her eyes keying the ball, selling a straight steal but stopping about 20 feet (6 meters) from second. She will stop in a balanced position to see where the ball is. If the ball is at second, I want her to quickly retreat and get into a rundown. If the ball has been cut off or was not thrown to second, she will have the opportunity to continue to second. For the runner on third, I call one of three plays: not going to go, but draw the throw; going on the throw “down” toward second; or going on the throw “through” to second.

On the first play, the runner on third gets a big jump, forcing the catcher to pay attention to her and letting the runner steal second. On the second play, the runner on third is going to the plate on the catcher’s throw down toward second. The only question the runner on third has to ask is, “Is the ball going past the pitcher?” If the ball goes back to the pitcher, the runner on third must scramble back to avoid getting picked off at third. This should give the runner on first the opportunity to get to second easily. The third play takes the most work for the runner at third. She will attempt to score on the catcher’s throw to second. She is looking for the ball to go “through” the pitcher and “through” the cutoff.

This has been a high-percentage play for us. The runner going to second must sell the steal and be able to stop in a balanced position. The runner on third must be familiar with the terminology and understand exactly what is expected on each of the options.

Hit-and-Run The hit-and-run is used to try to move the runner with a chance of fooling the defense into leaving their positions too soon resulting in the runner and the batter being safe. The runner is stealing on the pitch while sneaking a peek on the way down. The hitter is to hit the ball no matter where it is pitched, and hit the ball on the ground, preferably at the position whose job it is to cover the base on the steal.

Push BuntOn this play, the batter will push a sacrifice bunt beyond the charging corners. The right-handed batter needs to direct an inside pitch toward the shortstop and an outside pitch toward the second baseman. The left-handed batter needs to direct an inside pitch toward the second baseman and an outside pitch toward the shortstop. This is a play to advance the runner and to get the batter base runner safe at first. I find this play to be very effective with a runner on second as well as the one on first.:p>

Sacrifice BuntOn the sacrifice bunt, the offensive team is giving up the batter in order to advance a runner or runners. The ball must not be fielded by the catcher, and it should be bunted toward the baselines on the ground. The batter must make sure the pitch is a strike when the bunt is on. When the runner is advancing to third, I prefer to have the bunt directed toward the third baseman. If the batter makes the third baseman field the ball, the batter has done her job, as long as it is a soft bunt. A bunt down the first-base line will work just as well if the first baseman is not left-handed, as long as it is well placed and away from the catcher.

Slap and StealThe slap and steal is very tough on the middle infielders, because it forces them to cover two bases at the same time. The shortstop must both cover second on a steal and field the ground ball. The second baseman must cover first on a possible bunt or cover second on a ground ball double play from the left side of the infield. On the slap and steal, the runner goes on the pitch, and the batter shows a bunt but then slaps the ball on the ground toward the shortstop position. This is a play that can advance the runner and possibly have the batter safe at first.

Bunt and StealThe bunt and steal is a play where the team can advance the runner two bases on a bunted ball. In this play, the batter is instructed to drop a bunt toward the third baseman, forcing her to field it. If the runner starts at first base, she will go to second on the bunt and steal third on the infielder’s throw to first. This is an instinctive play where the runner rounds second and picks up the action at third. If the third baseman has fielded the bunt, the runner will have a good chance to get to third before the pitcher, catcher, or left fielder can cover the bag.

Offensive Decisions

I did some unusual research at a recent women’s College World Series. I studied nine offensive situations and kept track of the decisions that coaches made as well as the outcomes of those offensive plays. The results for each situation were as follows:

• Runner on first base and no outs—This situation occurred 50 times. The bunt was successful (meaning it moved the runner) 63 percent of the time, and the runner eventually scored 15 percent of the time. The slap moved the runner 17 percent of the time, but these runners never scored. The swing successfully moved the runner 38 percent of the time, and the runner scored 8 percent of the time. The steal was tried 4 times and succeeded twice; these runners did not score.
  
  
• Runner on first base and one out—This situation occurred 40 times. The bunt was tried 4 times and moved the runner every time. It was successful 100 percent of the time. The runner eventually scored 25 percent of the time. The slap was successful 33 percent of the time, and the runner scored 33 percent of the time. The coach selected the swing 29 of 40 times. It moved the runner 28 percent of the time, and these runners eventually scored 14 percent of the time. The steal again came in at 50 percent success, but again these runners did not score.
  
  
• Runner on first base and two outs—This situation occurred 55 times. The bunt and slap were not chosen. The swing was used 46 times, and it successfully moved the runner 33 percent of the time; the runner eventually scored 9 percent of the time. The steal was successful 67 percent of the time, but again these runners did not score.
  
  
• Runner on second base and no outs—This situation occurred 14 times. The bunt was used 3 times, and 3 times the runner got to third base; however, they never scored. The slap was tried twice, and the runner was not advanced. The swing was tried 6 times, and the runner got to third base only once (that runner eventually scored). The steal was tried 3 times, but the runners never made it to third or the plate.
  
  
• Runner on second base and one out—This situation occurred 44 times. Neither the bunt nor the steal was tried. The slap was tried twice and succeeded once (that runner did not score). The swing was tried 42 times and succeeded 40 percent of the time. These runners eventually scored 6 times or 14 percent of the time.
  
  
• Runner on second base and two outs—This situation occurred 56 times. No bunts were tried. Two slaps were tried—neither moved the runner. The swing moved the runner 33 percent of the time, and 17 percent of the runners that started on second eventually scored. The steal was tried twice, and it succeeded once (that runner scored).
  
  
• Runner on third base and no outs—This situation never occurred in the 12 games, looking at both the home and the visiting teams.
  
  
• Runner on third base and one out—This situation occurred 18 times. Neither the bunt nor the slap was employed. The swing was success-ful 47 percent of the time. When the swing was used, the runner scored 35 percent of the time. (Note that if the play selected was a swing and the batter walked, I called it a success.) A squeeze was used once, and that runner did not score.
  
  
• Runner on third base and two outs—This situation occurred 34 times, and the swing was used every time. The swing moved the runner 38 percent of the time, and they scored 24 percent of the time.

There are many offensive decisions the coach has to make. What information does the coach use to make those decisions? Knowing your personnel and trusting your instincts will allow you to draw your own conclusions. You can do your own research by watching games and charting the outcomes of the coaching decisions.

Signs and Signals

I am the coach in the third-base coaching box, and I initiate all offensive signals. It is the hitter’s responsibility to pick up the third-base coach after every pitch for a possible sign. All base runners pick up the signals from the third-base coach right after the pitcher has received the ball back from the catcher. The hitter usually looks at me before the base runner does, which gives me a chance to establish eye contact with the hitter and then with the runner before flashing signs. This way I can give one quick set of signs to both players.

If a player needs to have the signs repeated, she gives the repeat sign by circling her hands in front of her body. When calling for the suicide squeeze bunt, I have the batter give a sign back and the runner acknowledge the sign to verify that all parties know the squeeze is on. Our signals are learned and practiced as often as possible. We have signals for the following:

• Suicide squeeze
• Slap or push bunt
• Sacrifice bunt or base hit bunt
• Bunt and steal
• Steal
• Slap and steal
• Repeat play
• Take off or clear
• Take
• Fake bunt and slap
• Swing and miss
• Hit-and-run

I give an indicator first and then the signal. For example, touching my head is the indicator, and the sign that follows is the one to execute. If the play is still on for the next pitch, I will give the repeat play sign. We also have a “take off” signal to tell all parties the play is off. You can also create a “close” signal to indicate the play is on; without the “close,” nothing is on. You can be creative with your signals, but you should keep them simple. Clear signals are essential for good communication between players and coaches.

Baserunning Drills

The following baserunning drills will help the athlete improve mechanics and increase running speed. When these skills and actions are practiced, they will help in increasing explosive power off the base while increasing the aggressiveness of the base runner.

All Bases

Purpose: To improve the mechanics of base-running and player conditioning.

Procedure: Athletes are lined up at home plate. A coach is in the third-base coaching box, and a coach is in the first-base coaching box. The runner sprints to first base and jogs to home plate. She repeats this one time. The runner sprints to second and continues to round the bases by jogging to home plate. She repeats this two times. The runner sprints to third and jogs to home plate, repeating three times. Then the runner sprints from home to home.

Coach Communication

Purpose: To familiarize the player with the coach’s verbal cues and to improve the player’s reaction to those cues.

Procedure: The team is divided into two groups. One of the groups is in a line at home plate, and the other is in a line at second base. One coach is at first, and one coach is at third. On a signal given by one of the coaches, the first person in each line runs to the base ahead of her. The runner looks to pick up the coach’s physical and verbal cues on whether to stay at that base, advance, or any other baserunning situations. When both runners have finished their route, the next two runners will begin when given the signal. This sequence continues for as long as desired.

Independent Runner

Purpose: To experience gamelike baserunning situations at three different bases.

Procedure: All defensive positions are filled. There are base runners at home, first, and third. A coach is at home plate with a ball, and the pitcher is on the mound with a ball. The pitcher pitches the ball to the catcher, the runners get their jumps, and when the ball hits the strike zone, the coach hits a ball into the field of play (fungo hit). The runners react accordingly. The defense can be instructed to make a play on any one of the runners. Each runner plays as if she is the only runner on the field.

Turns and Slides

Purpose: To work on turns at first base and various slides into second.

Procedure: Place half your runners at first and half your runners at the plate. The runners at first are lined up single file one step beyond first. Once the runner from home hits first base for the turn, the runner at first takes off toward second. This forces the runner going to first to make a sharp turn to avoid getting in the way of the other runner. The runner from first sprints to second as if she is stealing, and once near the base, she works on a chosen slide. The batter base runner stops a third of the way to second base and dives back into first.

Variation: Put runners at all bags and work on different slides and turns going to every bag.

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Excerpt reprinted by permission of Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL., from COACHING FASTPITCH SOFTBALL SUCCESSFULLY, SECOND EDITION by Kathy Veroni and Roanna Brazier.

Copyright © 2006 by Human Kinetics.

Available in bookstores, by calling 1-800-747-4457, or online at www.humankinetics.com.