First-and-third plays: offence and defence

Setup

1. Full infield: pitcher, catcher in full gear (helmet with mask, throat guard, chest protector, shin guards, cup), 1B, 2B, SS and 3B. A stand-in batter in a helmet stands in the box without swinging.
2. Runners in helmets on first and third. Spare runners queue in foul ground behind each base.
3. Agree the defensive calls and signs before you start: 'Through' (throw to the middle infielder covering second), 'Cut' (the other middle infielder cuts in front of second and reads the runner on third) and 'Fake' (the catcher arm-fakes to second and looks to third).
4. The offence has its own signs from the third-base coach: straight steal, early break, or delayed steal.
5. Pitchers count every pitch and throw toward their daily limit; rotate after 12–15.

How it runs

1. Before each pitch, the catcher signals the defensive play and the third-base coach signals the offensive play. Neither side knows the other's call.
2. Straight steal: R1 goes on the pitcher's first move. R3 takes a walking lead and breaks only if the throw goes through to second.
3. Early break: R1 breaks while the pitcher is set. The pitcher steps off the rubber (back foot first) and runs at the runner or throws to second; R3 reads the throw and goes when the ball leaves the pitcher's hand toward second.
4. Delayed steal: R1 takes shuffle steps and breaks as the catcher's return throw goes to the pitcher, or as the middle infielders relax.
5. Defence plays it out: tag at second, throw home on the cut, rundown if a runner gets caught. Play every rep to the end.
6. Run 8–10 reps, then swap the runners and the infield, and swap the catcher every 5 throws.

Coaching points

• Catcher: catch, glance at R3 to freeze them, then throw. If R3 is too far off, throw to third.
• Cut player: set up in line from home to second, about 5 metres in front of the base, and call the read: 'Home!' if R3 breaks, 'Cut two!' if R1 is short.
• Middle infielders: the cover player straddles the front of the bag and leaves the runner a path until the ball arrives.
• Pitcher: duck, then follow the throw so you can back up or join a rundown.
• Offence: R3's job is to score, not to break first. Go when the ball is past the pitcher and committed toward second.
• Balk rules apply on the early break: the pitcher must step off the back of the rubber, or step directly toward second, before throwing (check your competition's rules).
• With two outs, the defence usually takes the sure out at second. It is a time play: if the tag for the third out comes before R3 touches home, the run does not count.

Common mistakes

• Catcher throwing through without looking, so R3 walks in.
• Cut player too deep or out of line, so the throw home is long and late.
• R3 breaking on the pitch instead of on the throw and getting picked off.
• Pitcher throwing to second from the rubber without stepping toward it: a balk.
• The covering fielder standing in the base path without the ball: obstruction.