Bunting basics: sacrifice and bunt for a hit

Setup

1. Mark two target boxes with cones: one about 6 m down the third-base line, one about 6 m down the first-base line, both just inside the foul lines.
2. The feeder throws from behind an L-screen about 10–12 m from the plate, at a steady, medium pace. Use a coach or an older player who throws strikes.
3. The catcher wears full gear: helmet with mask, throat guard, chest protector, shin guards and cup. The batter wears a helmet.
4. A third baser and a first baser stand at normal depth and field the bunts. Waiting batters stay behind the backstop or well to the side.

How it runs

1. Sacrifice bunt: as the feeder starts the throw, the batter pivots on the balls of both feet to face the feeder, bat level at the top of the strike zone.
2. The batter catches the ball with the bat, letting the bat give, and deadens it into one of the target boxes. Then the batter runs to first.
3. Each batter takes 4 sacrifice bunts down the third-base line, then 4 down the first-base line. Score a point for every bunt that stops in a box.
4. Bunt for a hit: the batter holds the normal stance as long as possible, shows bunt late, and pushes the ball firmly past the charging corner fielder or drops it softly down the line.
5. The corner fielders charge on every bunt and throw to first, so the batter learns how fast the play happens. Rotate batter, catcher, fielders and feeder.

Coaching points

• Get the bunt down early on a sacrifice. The job is to give up the out and move the runner.
• Bat at the top of the strike zone, barrel slightly above the hands. Bunt only pitches below the bat; take anything above it.
• Top hand slides up behind the barrel with the fingers tucked behind it, out of the ball's path.
• Bend the knees to go down for a low pitch. Don't drop the barrel.
• Angle the bat with the hands, not by pushing at the ball: hold the handle further back (towards the catcher) to bunt it towards first.

Common mistakes

• Fingers wrapped around the front of the bat, where the ball can hit them.
• Jabbing at the ball, so it pops up or rolls hard to the fielder.
• Squaring around too late on a sacrifice, then rushing.
• Bunting balls above the strike zone, which pop up for an easy out.
• Starting to run before the ball is bunted.