Advice needed on how to not run up the score (8u rec)

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Feb 14, 2014
160
16
I manage dd8's coach pitch team. Our LL has a five run per inning limit, games are six innings or 1:30 time limit. There is no mercy rule. Some games are not blow outs for us, but we have some where our girls are all hitting and running the bases well and the other team is not. What is the best way to keep from running up the score? Last year, there was a team that experienced similar success. That coach's solution was to send his team in from batting early after the first batter made it on base. Some of the teams complained that their girls weren't getting any defensive time in those games. So what is the best solution? I don't want the girls on the other teams discouraged, this is rec, after all.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Take only 1 base per hit. Get your girls to hit ground balls to infield providing the defense with every opportunity to make and out.
 

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend
Jul 5, 2013
5,436
38
safe in an undisclosed location
step off the base before the pitcher releases the ball. If necessary inform the ump your players are doing this (they tend to be focused on making bad calls on pitches so you need to point it out sometimes).
 
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
The only thing I would do is slow up on the bases. With a 5 run limit, anything else would probably be insulting to the other teams.
 
Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
You don't do anything different. Why make your team have to play down to its competition? Purposely hitting weak ground balls to the infield is very bad advice. 8u kids want to hit the ball and run the bases, let them. Your league has run limits, that is good enough.
 
Jul 10, 2014
1,283
0
C-bus Ohio
8U rec - the girls rarely even know the score at 12U rec lol!

I've been at both ends, and when the girls ask the score, I just say that it doesn't matter, we need to play hard and the score will take care of itself. If we're on the losing end, I make sure the focus is on individual plays and finding at least 1 good thing that happened during the game for each player.

They will have completely forgotten by the time they get their snacks.
 
May 16, 2014
24
1
I wouldn't do much different. The only change would be slightly less aggression on the bases. My 8U team is young and we moved up to a more competitive division this season. I don't expect the other teams to let up on us. I want the other team to do their best so our girls can rise up to try to meet the challenge. My girls are learning how to take losses mostly right now and I expect that to be a lesson learned so that we know how to win in a season or two from now (hopefully).
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top