Common mental mistakes in softball

[Softball scholar]

How about not knowing how many out there are. I see our 16U team even get the 3rd out, and then they start looking at each other and say is that the 3rd out? Related to this is the ground ball to the infield with two outs and runner on 3rd. The infielder throws the ball home to get the runner but would have had the easy 3rd out at 1st base.

One common base running mistake is not being ready to react to the wild pitch or past ball. You know the wild pitch the rolls past the catcher, then the runner hesitates a second or two and doesn't get the free base. I see it a lot.

 

[quincy]

Like that one too, if you are waiting for the coach to say something you are late.

 

[ANNASDAD]

Do not throw it to P, throw it to infielder.

^^^^^This. Watching an outfielder throw a ball over a pitchers head and a base runner take an extra base should result in a time out and every girl on defense run to the outfield and beat the snot out of her with their gloves!

 

[JAD]

Softball IQ is hard to teach in one lesson and is usually learned from years of experience. Here are a couple that come to mine, sorry if they have already been mentioned.
1) Outfielders, on a ground ball, field the ball and find the lead runner. If the runner is trying to advance, throw to the bag, if they are holding throw to your cut off.
2) Know the game situation. We just lost a game when our outfielder did not "scoop and throw" to HP. She squared up, fielded the ball, then tried to throw and missed the runner by a step.
3) Always get the lead runner when you can with less than 2 outs.
4) Infielders need to charge the ball (especially SS). Auburn gave up the winning run in the WCWS because their SS let the ball come to her instead of charging through it.
5) Someone needs to get back to cover 3B with less than 2 outs and a runner at 1B when the opposing team bunts.
6) Outfielders need to get behind the ball whenever they can to be "coming through it" to make a strong throw when a baserunner may advance.

 

[T.J.]

Conscious of time and score. Better clock management when you are behind in score. There are times when you need to RUSH out on the field, do no warm-up pitches, no throw-downs, etc. in an effort to get three outs as quickly as possible so you can get back up to bat. Sometimes teams appear to have no clue that the game is going to end if they don't get 3 outs in the next 6 minutes.