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Mount Laurel Girls Softball

Mount Laurel Girls Softball

Basics of Bunting

BUNTING TECHNIQUE



Set up in the batter’s box as if you were going to hit away.  Place your feet in a slightly open stance, which will give you better balance when you rotate to bunt.  Position your body slightly closer to the pitcher—line up your back foot so that it’s almost even with the front of the plate.  





Watch the pitcher’s windup.  As she brings her pitching hand straight up in the air, rotate on the balls of your feet, bend your knees, and hold the bat at a slight angle.  (If you wait until the pitcher releases the ball, you will be too late and not be able to get the bat into the proper position).






As you’re rotating your feet, slide your top hand up the bat and grip the bat using your index finger and thumb.  You want to grasp the bat below the barrel, where the thin part of the bat meets the wider part of the bat.






You should be able to control the bat with only your upper hand.  Release your lower hand and check that you have control of the bat. (Do this at practice only).





     

Make sure that you hold the bat in front of your body.  Your top hand elbow will be held at a 90° angle (or in an “L” shape).  Also, keep the bat at the top of the strike zone.  Remember, any pitch that goes above the bat and hands will be a “ball”, so pull the bat back.  Never move the bat up.






Angle the bat so that it points towards the first base line (and not back over the plate).  Use your legs to help move the bat up and down—minimize up and down arm movement.  And, get your eyes close to the top of the bat so that you can look over the bat to watch the ball coming in (tell your player to “smell the bat”).  This will make it easier to track the ball once it’s released by the pitcher.





“Catch” the ball with the bat by bringing the bat slightly back on contact.  This will help deaden the speed of the ball and prevent it from traveling too far out in the infield.  Do not push out at the ball.  Try to make contact on the upper half of the ball, forcing it down to the ground. Drop the bat and run!!

 
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