Situational Hitting
Great hitters adjust their approach based on the situation. This is what separates smart baseball from just swinging hard.
Common situations
| Situation | Goal | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Runner on 2nd, no outs | Move the runner to 3rd | Hit to the right side — ground ball to 2B or right side |
| Runner on 3rd, less than 2 outs | Score the run | Fly ball to the outfield (sacrifice fly), or ground ball anywhere |
| Two strikes | Don’t strike out | Shorten the swing, protect the plate, foul off tough pitches |
| 0-0 count, fastball hitter | Attack early | If the first pitch is a fastball in the zone, swing |
| Down in the count (0-2, 1-2) | Battle | Foul off borderline pitches, wait for a mistake |
| Hit and run | Put the ball in play | Swing at anything close — the runner is committed |
Sacrifice bunt
Square early (before the pitch). Bat angle controls direction — angle the barrel toward first to bunt toward third, angle toward third to bunt toward first. Catch the ball with the bat — soft hands. The ball should die on the grass.
Practice bunting at home. Set up a tee at the front of the zone, practice squaring and making soft contact. 10 bunts takes 3 minutes and adds a weapon to your kid's game.