Situation opinions please

[Coach JV]

The squeeze with bases loaded requires speed on the bases and perfect execution of the bunt.
There is an enormous amount of pressure on the defense and it is difficult for the younger ages.
All baserunners must get a good jump on release!

A bunt pop-up will be 2 easy outs, thus the need for a good push bunt. As a coach, you must have nerves of steel,
as this is the play that makes you either king or goat, there is no middle ground. It is the ultimate play-call

 

[PAcoach]

The squeeze with bases loaded requires speed on the bases and perfect execution of the bunt.There is an enormous amount of pressure on the defense and it is difficult for the younger ages.
All baserunners must get a good jump on release!

A bunt pop-up will be 2 easy outs, thus the need for a good push bunt. As a coach, you must have nerves of steel,
as this is the play that makes you either king or goat, there is no middle ground. It is the ultimate play-call

Which brings me to this question...How often do you drill on this exact situation? or don't you? This past spring, we spent a lot of time on squeeze bunts with each girl taking turns being the bunter and each of them them being a base runner and did it over and over working on their timing,so they had a good grasp. But when they got game experience doing it, saw how it should be, confidence soared.

 

[Coach JV]

We work on situational base running. All base runners look for signs every pitch,
when they see that the squeeze is on, it gives them a boost of adrenaline. They know the pressure
bases loaded presents when they are on defense in a tight game and they just love it when the shoe
is on the other foot.

I never call a squeeze with an average bunter at the plate, so we practice bunting before every game,
to make all strong bunters

 

[51sDad]

That's great to hear. We need to spend more time reinforcing sacrificing for the team. At nationals this year we were visitors, down by 2, 4 minutes left in game time, 2 outs and a weaker (not weak) batter at plate. I told her to strike out swinging at 1st 3 pitches no matter where they were and NOT to make contact. She did - the crowd (including her parents) was going crazy until they realized what I was doing. We started new inning tied game at next at bat and won in international tie breaker in extra innings. SHE WAS HERO OF GAME for striking out - complete with game ball and a cheer!

What "Nationals" are you playing in that uses a clock?

 

[lawdawg]

usfa - panama city

 

[StacieM]

Note: I didn't read through any of the other posts before writing this.

FIRST: it's very easy to say something should or should not have been called when you're outside the situation and after the fact.

SECOND: I have seen squeezes called in similar situations with GREAT success because the defense is not expecting it at all. If that happens you score at least one run without giving up an out and if this strategy happens to wreak havoc on the defense like it can, you might just score both the runs you need to tie the score without giving up the out. If it works, it's an awesome call.

That said, it probably isn't the "textbook" call and maybe not the highest percentage call that could have been made either, but if you always go with what "should" be done, it's very easy for people to figure out what your gonna do.

 

[changeupskill]

At nationals this year we were visitors, down by 2, 4 minutes left in game time, 2 outs and a weaker (not weak) batter at plate. I told her to strike out swinging at 1st 3 pitches no matter where they were and NOT to make contact. She did - the crowd (including her parents) was going crazy until they realized what I was doing. We started new inning tied game at next at bat and won in international tie breaker in extra innings. SHE WAS HERO OF GAME for striking out - complete with game ball and a cheer!

I'm confused. you were VISITORS, down by two, 4 minutes left with 2 outs. Doesn't HOME team bat last in each inning? And if HOME is ahead when time expires in their at bat inning, don't they win? How does a visitor get a 3rd out and start a new inning? Home team wins after 4 minutes are up right? Maybe just mis-worded.