Bunting Tips
To many there is really only one type of Bunt.
To others there are only two types.
In Softball there are many and all have an equal amount
of importance.
1. Sacrifice Bunt
2. Surprise Bunt
3. Suicide Squeeze
4. Slap
5. Left Handed Slap
6. Drag Bunt
All have great importance, especially when your hitting
game is not up to par, or if the coach thinks the other team might be sleeping.
Sacrifice Bunt
The sacrifice is exactly what it is named.
It is done when you want to advance a runner at the expense
of an out, the Bunter.
You want the defense to know it is coming and you want
to make them play you.
You will enter the box in the same position as if you
are swinging away and just as the pitcher begins her movement. you pivot
and get into the Bunting Stance.
Some people teach the batter to square off, but for all
practical purposes, this is really getting to be a thing of the past.
You pretty much want to just pivot your feet till you
are facing the pitcher.
Hold the left hand down by the knob of the bat or slightly
up from it.
The right hand will slide up to the point where the fat
part of the barrel begins, the taper.
The knob should be down by your waist and the end of
the bat should be up by the letters or near the arm pit height.
This is your high reference point, if the ball comes
in higher than this, pull back for it will be a ball and not a strike.
You want the ball to come in lower than this point.
You will be in a slightly crouched position and not standing
straight up.
Your arms will be bent and the bat will be about in line
with your head not pushed out in front of you.
Put the bat in direct line with the ball and allow your
arms to be shock absorbers for the ball as it makes contact with the bat,
do not push the bat into the ball.
The ball can be steered by the way you move your left
hand.
Click below for a short presentation on Sacrifice and
Surprise Bunts
Surprise Bunt
The surprise bunt is basically the same as the sacrifice
bunt, with one primary exception.
You do not want the opposing team to expect this bunt,
You will bring the bat to bunting position at the very
last second and attempt to place it in a position where it will be hard
to make the play.
The surprise bunt is done with the intention of getting
your batter to first base safely.
Suicide Squeeze
This is a very risky play, but very effective if done
properly.
This is done with usually no outs or one out and a runner
on third.
The batter may even take a good hard swing at the first
pitch and miss the ball.
When the suicide play is called, the runner will be going
home at full speed as the pitcher releases the ball.
There is no turning back for the runner.
The batter will turn to bunt at the last second as in
the surprise bunt, but she must protect the runner at all costs.
No matter where the pitch is thrown, the batter must
do everything in her power to bunt the ball and put it in play.
If she pulls back and the catcher gets the ball, the
runner most likely be out.
Coaches--Make sure if you call this play, that you have
a very experienced bunter at the plate.
Slap Bunt
We find this to work well when runners are on base.
The batter will present herself as if she were going
to sacrifice bunt.
The fielders will begin to break to play the bunt.
As the pitcher begins to release the ball, the batter
will pull the bat back into a shortened grip and go after the ball in a
modified swing.
The purpose of this is to put the ball on the ground
and try to find the gap in between the players as they are unsuspectingly
fielding what they think is a bunt.
This can be modified a few ways, but we will stick with
the basic slap.
Photos will be up soon.
Left Handed Slap
The batter will get into the box as a left handed hitter.
Let her take some good hard practice swings as if she
was really going to smack the ball left handed.
She will be at the ready as if she is going to swing,
but as the pitcher begins the delivery, the batter will allow the bat to
slide down in her hands slightly.
She will also step back with her right (lead) foot until
it is close to her left foot.
She will then cross her left foot over her right going
directly at the pitcher, she will follow this step with the right foot.
She will swing with a modified swing, not really for
power.
We must add that the batter will stand back in the box
close to the catcher, so she remains in the box during this slap.
I must emphasize that the batter is to travel directly
at the pitcher until the ball is contacted and not at first base.
The purpose of this is also to try to find the gap between
fielders and also give the runner a few step advantage to first base.
Left Handed Drag Bunt
The batter will also act as if she will smack the ball
hard, but she will go deep in the box.
As the pitcher delivers, the batter will again bring
her right foot back near her left foot, then cross her left foot in front
of the right, then step forward with the right foot.
All steps will be directly at the pitcher.
She will keep her right hand near the knob of the bat,
and will bring the left hand up to the taper just like a sacrifice bunt.
When the ball is contacted, she will then break for first.
Special Notes
There are those of you that will disagree with the initial
step being the lead foot back to the back foot, but we have found that
when the player makes the stride forward with the right foot, she has a
tendency to over stride, causing the bat to drop and her to miss the ball
more often. This initial back stride, forces the player to shorten the
steps, keeping the bat more controlled.
Another point of contention you may have, is the batter
holding the bat with 2 hands and running toward the pitcher.
Holding the bat with only one hand causes the player
to lose so much control of the ball and running toward first causes her
to pull the bat away from the ball.
We must also point out that the going to the opposite
side of what the player is used to, is very strange to her and this must
be practiced and practiced in order for her to be proficient. She must
even to it at home until it becomes second nature.
The other point is--Timing the pitcher's delivery is
very important for everything to fall into place.
