I think the way Easton33 plays it is quite simple. "Follow" the ball is how they are taught to play regular hits. Having the SS run over to 2B when the bunt is hit on the left side of the field is actually less simple.
3B Coverage on a Bunt
- Thread starter Doug Romrell
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We actually changed our coverage scheme tonight after several of our players and coaches went to a college camp last weekend. With a runner on 1B and the batter bunts, 3B, P and 1B crash the bunt, 2B covers the bag at 1st, SS covers the bag at 2nd, C sprints to covers the bag at 3B, 1B covers home, RF backs up the throw to 1B, LF back up a throw to 3B and CF backs up a throw to 2B.
By no means do I rank up there with college coaches but to me this sounds off. Sure, catcher is coming out of the hole towards third you gain a step or two there. At the.most physically demanding position on the field you have her sprinting to third, besides all the sprinting to backup first? What happens when it is a good sac bunt that is on the line 4 to 5' from the plate? Catcher runs by it and passes 3rd baseman coming to it? A push bunt, yeah that will work but a good sac bunt and your catcher will make a play on the ball leaving third open. IMO
Next practice put your best sac bunter up and tell her to put it down third and see what happens. Also, what happens on a bad bunt? One right in front of the plate. Will your catcher field and try for two, possibly missing both outs or will she throw to first leaving thirs open again? I just think this play works only on push bunts.
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My defence is as explained in the OP... except my LF knows to also crash a bunt and will cover the bag if our 3B is the player who actually fielded the ball. And my pitchers only cover balls that are headed right at them. Had a bunt take out both, a pitcher and a first baseman with big knots on their heads!
If the out is recorded at 1st, then the first baseman, without hesitation, should immediately be firing to third, and the second baseman should be getting to second to be in position for either a run back or a run down.
If the out is recorded at 1st, then the first baseman, without hesitation, should immediately be firing to third, and the second baseman should be getting to second to be in position for either a run back or a run down.
- Oct 10, 2013
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We work on this play all fall and winter. 3b fields the ball....pitcher peals back to 3rd, if pitcher fields the ball.... 3b peals to cover. LF will race in to back-up or cover 3rd base all the time. SS to 2nd, 2B to 1B. When we execute this our SS is ready to take a throw from our 2nd basemen if that runner goes to far from 2nd. We will have a play where 2nd throws to SS automatically...our pitcher covers 3B. On agressive teams we haven't given up 3B and threw out the runner 60-70% of the time at 2nd.
"...and threw out the runner 60-70% of the time at 2nd."
Boy, that's an extremely high success rate at 2B in this situation.
Boy, that's an extremely high success rate at 2B in this situation.
- Oct 10, 2013
- 116
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Before I get hammered...It's 60-70% of the time when this play (automatic throw) is on....about 3/5 times. We don't run the play every time. We don't throw all the time, ie no need or not the right situation. It's not 60% of the time a runner is on first. Hopefully this makes sense.
- Oct 10, 2013
- 116
- 0
Just looking this up from our last tournament we were in this situation 4 times and ran the automatic throw once and threw the runner out; 1-1. Semi final game we did this. Tournament before we were 0/1. 1/2 in the last 2 tournaments. You set the strategy up and when you see the other team rounding 2nd hard...throw back, if you have 3rd covered.
Lets think --- any outfielder covering a base - bad throw - hmmmm now two runs score on a bunt --- give me outfielders backing up the bases - biggest part on sac bunt or push bunt is communication - and there is no one set way - you have to adjust to the bunt - to the type of runner on first and type of runner bunting. To many different factors involved to say one way or the other. But one thing that is a must is communication and players knowing the situation and communicating before and during the play. JMO
