Bunt coverage

Typical baseball teaching says first and third charge on a bunt. The second baseman covers first and second is handed to the runner.

I believe that softball is a much faster game than baseball. The speed of softball changes everything especially bunt coverages. In studying the game I have seen very few times when the first baseman makes the play at first while charging on a bunt coverage.

I am moving more and more to leaving first home and sending only the pitcher and third to cover bunts. Unless a runner is on second then the third baseman stays to cover the probable steal of third.

I want feedback for the 10u level. Is it overly complex to have two bunt coverages with a runner on second and without? Do you agree that the first baseman is not likely to make the play at first? Is there a magic coverage that leaves third home to prevent a decoy bunt-steal and supplies a sufficient coverage to get the out at first?

I have used the center fielder with little success.

Thanks in advance.
Lee

Others will disagree, but with lead runner at first with obvious bunt, I have my first-baseman stay back, my second baseman move up to about 3 feet to side of pitching circle. Of course, third-baseman is up. My SS has to be very disciplined. She has to cheat toward second so as to cover second on a steal, but I have her run over and cover third on the bunt. That's right, I don't feel we are good enough to get the out at second on the bunt. The center fielder comes in to keep the runner a bit more humble as she gets to second.

If the lead runner is at second, I have my short-stop cheat toward third and still have my third-baseman up to field the bunt. I still have the second baseman up and first-baseman back.

Remember, the last runner to touch a bag is generally the batter/bunter. Thus the surest out is at first. I believe it is often fools gold to try to get any other runner out on a bunt, lest it be a suicide or safety squeeze.

I think this all depends on the level of your players.

IDK, there is no perfect bunt coverage.

At 10U my base bunt coverage would be 1st stays back, 2nd covers 2nd, SS covers 3rd. This is it regardless of where runners are at on the bases.

After that you can add additional bunt coverages that you can call from the bench. If they players have fairly set infield positions and practice a little bit they will pick it right up. If you have players moving all over the place it is a little bit harder to add new coverages.

We try it both ways with just third, pitcher and catcher defending the bunt or all the ones listed with first also. I tend to lean towards leaving first at first, pitcher usually will not get the bunt or unless it is close to the circle or towards first hard. I like for the movement of my third to sweep in and bare hand grab and throw to first. SS cover third, center towards 2nd for back up, 2nd to second and RF back up 1st, LF back up 3rd. I want to leave my sure gloved 1st base at her position.

We played a very good bunting team couple months ago, they liked small ball and knew how to play it very well, best I ever saw. They had runner on first and every time they bunted the runner would go to third. Well they burned us twice on that little deal. So next time they tried we had a little plan. They bunted with runner on first, 3rd crashed the ball, flipped to catcher and catcher threw to SS at third to get the tag, batter made a huge turn during all this SS threw to 2nd made runner turn and 2nd to first for another tag. We lured the batter way off and made sure the runner at 1 would attempt to go to 3. They stopped rounding to 3rd after that and the small ball game went away.

3rd always charge. If pitcher is athletic have 1st stay home. SS cover 2. LF cover 3b. This is with runner on 1b.

Runner on 2b. 3rd charge. SS cover 3b. CF covers 2b if ball is bunted.

If pitcher is not a good fielder have 1st charge also. 2nd cover 1b.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I certainly agree with the posts so far. I should have been more detailed on the situation where i would like to leave 3B at home.
Here's the scenario. We see this all the time. Lead runner on second. Batter shows bunt and the lead runner steals. The batter takes the pitch. The third baseman has left to cover the bunt. Now it's a race between SS and the runner. Tough play to make.

Short-stop that cheats toward 3B generally wins that race.

For me, the third-baseman never stays back when the bunt is on. If there is anyone who stays up on a bunt attempt it's the third-baseman.

The third baseman has left to cover the bunt. Now it's a race between SS and the runner. Tough play to make.

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It is for lower levels. Not so much for the higher levels.

Bunt coverages are different with age, experience, player speed, player skill and overall game situation understanding.

14U last year my players who played 1st were average in their ability to cover bunts. However, I had a couple of really athletic girls who played second. I had two athletic girls who played 3rd.

What we did with a runner on 1st and right handed batter, the corners charged on a bunt. If the ball was on the ground to the left side of the infield whoever did NOT field the bunt immediately went to 3rd to cover. If 3rd got the ball the pitcher covered. If the pitcher got it 3rd covered. If the ball went to the right side 3rd went back to the base to cover. 3rd base knew if she did not field the ball her responsibility was getting back to the bag with a runner on 1st.

With a slapper my 2nd base came up nearly even with the pitcher. She covered everything on the right side and 1st stated back. The left side coverages were the same.

SS always went to 2nd on bunt with a runner on 1st. Nailed several players who rounded 2nd too far with a snap throw coming in behind them.

I agree that this is much more likely to be an issue with younger players. But I was watching pro softball last night. Same play. SS made it there on time and the throw from the catcher was perfect. But the momentum of the SS carried her too far and she missed the ball. The runner scored.
So it happens all the time in travel ball at the 10u level but is can also be an issue at the higher levels too. So IMO it's worth a discussion.