Top of the 7th. Score tied. Runners on 1st and 3rd. No one out. You're the home team coach.

[GoGamecocks]

And you HAVE TO WIN. What do you do?

Conventional wisdom for other team is sacrifice bunt. My first instinct is put the batter on to load the bases, but you're giving them an extra out by doing that.

"Play good defense" is a disqualifying response.

 

[MadBandit22]

And you HAVE TO WIN. What do you do?

Conventional wisdom for other team is sacrifice bunt. My first instinct is put the batter on to load the bases, but you're giving them an extra out by doing that.

"Play good defense" is a disqualifying response.

Obviously you have to bring the corners in to protect against the bunt. I would want my best pitcher in the circle. When I say best I mean for this specific situation. You have to be looking for K’s and soft contact. So we need a pitcher that gets a lot of swing and misses and weak ground balls to try and minimize the damage and hopefully get out of the inning unscathed.
Loading the bases may be the best play to get a force at any base but boy I just hate giving free passes.
I would definitely try to get the runner at 3rd with a throw down. The old fake throw to 2B or SS to bait the runner at 3rd to take home. I would breath a lot easier with 1 out and runner on 1st.

 

[coachbubbles]

Level of play? Point in the lineup the visitor is at? How have they done in this game?Where in the lineup is home team? Can you be reasonably sure your pitcher can throw strikes as to not walk in a run and make them hit to beat you?

Big risk, big reward. Walk the next batter to make the play at the plate a force. Makes it easier to defend against the suicide. Corners in slightly, middle infield regular depth and roll the dice. Assuming you are thinking they bunt I throw up and in for the first pitch and immediately snap throw behind the runner at 3.

 

[GoGamecocks]

Level of play? Point in the lineup the visitor is at? How have they done in this game?Where in the lineup is home team? Can you be reasonably sure your pitcher can throw strikes as to not walk in a run and make them hit to beat you?

Level of play - state HS championship game. All infielders are probably capable of playing D1 softball in 0-3 years. Pitcher has good control. Very good catcher.

"Away" team is number 5 in their lineup. Home team will have 9, 1 & 2 coming up next. Number nine batter is good. Number one can hit for power (HR in her first AB). Number two can put it in play but double is all you can hope for. If nine batter gets out, they'll probably walk the leadoff and pitch to 2nd and 3rd batter.

 

[softgabby]

I'm not a coach...but I'll still take a crack at the situation.

First, I'd bring in a pitcher that is capable of generating ground balls. I would want to try to induce a rundown at third or a double-play ball.

Second, I'd want to play my corner infielders to guard the lines against a bunt. I would also make my catcher and pitcher aware of that possibility. Then again, at the state championship level, your pitcher and catcher are already thinking that far ahead. I would also play my middle infielders at double-play depth to anticipate the possibility of at least a double-play ball.

Third, I'd want to walk the five-hole hitter. Let's say, for instance, the six-hole batter is struggling. I would rather have my pitcher face a six-hole batter that doesn't have as much confidence in her ability right now versus the five-hole hitter that's been killing me.

 

[The Man In Blue]

That helps a little more with the scenario, but there is still a lot you don’t know unless you have seen how the game has gone ... tied game doesn’t tell us much. Tied 1-1 or tied 16-16? Too many variables to cover them all in an online forum.

Personally, I give the intentional walk to get the force at the plate. It amazes me the number of times I see coaches NOT do this and it bites them in the butt.

 

[GoGamecocks]

That helps a little more with the scenario, but there is still a lot you don’t know unless you have seen how the game has gone ... tied game doesn’t tell us much. Tied 1-1 or tied 16-16? Too many variables to cover them all in an online forum.

Personally, I give the intentional walk to get the force at the plate. It amazes me the number of times I see coaches NOT do this and it bites them in the butt.

Tied 3-3

 

[mmeece]

If it was the bottom of the inning and one run wins then I load the bases. But here I instruct my defense to check the runner and go to 1st unless we have the runner hung up or going home. In this situation I pitch the batter on the edges and I'm not too upset with a walk. I want to stop the run but most importantly I need an out. I don't want to give up a run but I certainly don't want a big inning and I've seen this situation go south too many times when the whole focus was on not letting the run score.

 

[coachbubbles]

Level of play - state HS championship game. All infielders are probably capable of playing D1 softball in 0-3 years. Pitcher has good control. Very good catcher.

"Away" team is number 5 in their lineup. Home team will have 9, 1 & 2 coming up next. Number nine batter is good. Number one can hit for power (HR in her first AB). Number two can put it in play but double is all you can hope for. If nine batter gets out, they'll probably walk the leadoff and pitch to 2nd and 3rd batter.

With score tied 3-3 and the information presented above I stick by my strategy. Load them up and it makes for an easier play at the plate for your team and blue to make the call. Plus more options for a double play if a line drive is hit at any infielder. At this age with a load of D-1 kids I take the chance vs a big inning exploding.

So...now that you have SOME feedback....what actually happened. Inquiring minds gotta know

 

[Strike2]

Conventional wisdom for other team is sacrifice bunt. My first instinct is put the batter on to load the bases, but you're giving them an extra out by doing that.

You're not giving them an "extra out" by walking the #5, unless you're assuming that this batter will be put out. She might hit one to the fence. However, by putting her on, you you may give up an "extra run".

With no outs, that runner on 3B will very likely score. Yes, I've seen teams get out of that, but chances are, you're giving up at least one run that inning.

Assuming I'm reading your setup correctly, the "Home" team is in the field. I'm also NOT taking into account individual player characteristics...possibly fast, obviously slow, etc. As the Home team playing defense in this situation, the goal is to limit the damage, work for outs, and avoid the high-risk strategy that could result in a blow-up inning.

Defend the bunt, because that's probably coming, and it's what I'm hoping for...an infield ground ball. Try to put that batter behind in the count while she's trying to get that bunt down...you might get her to chase a bad pitch and make a mistake. If she's not bunting, and she's a good hitter, you can pitch around her rather than just giving up a walk.

If she gets a bunt down, straight to 1B and back to Home. GET THE OUT! If R3 hesitates at all, you have a chance to hold her off or get another out at Home if your fielder gets rid of the ball quickly. Watch R1 trying to advance past 2B on the throw Home. With a runner on 2B, 1 out, and 1 in, you're in better shape than bases loaded with no outs or worse: runners on 1B / 2B, a run in, and no outs.

Obviously, you need to pitch and play defense to get out of that inning giving up only that one run, but it's doable. Top of your lineup coming up in the bottom of the 7th...