For me & the kid (DD) it evolved from let the ball get deep on an inside pitch to swing the bat earlier on the outside pitch.
The skater reference, to me, told me to instruct the "swing earlier" on the outside pitch. I talked to her about the Lisa Hernandez concept regarding "space". In a nutshell, to hit the inside pitch, the hitter needs to create space so the hands/arms can get through.
I'm an equal and opposite guy in my thinking. If more space is needed for the inside pitch (create space), less space is required for
the outside pitch (take away space). Using this strategy, the ball gets deeper without "letting the ball get deep". It happens through a slightly longer swing. It's more involved than that however. But that is a major component of my hitting philosophy.
The other major component is regarding the back half of the hitter vs the front half. What the lower body vs the upper body is very important. Once the initial launch from the back foot big toe happens, it's the back vs front that controls the next 2/3rds of the swing. The finish is the hand usage/adjustments.
In college softball, pitch speed is as important as pitch location. Focusing mainly on location during the hitters formative years and not including change of speed work is handcuffing the young hitter.
My DD told recently her most proud moment was a RBI suicide squeeze in a DIII super regional.
Yes. We worked a lot on bunting. Supper Dave M. once told us:
"don't expect to do it in a game unless you practice it"
"It" is up to you as a coach.
Works for us. It won't work for most.
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