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

[Quasimodo]

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.

Walking the batter puts another runner in scoring position.
1) Are you so sure your team can come back from 2 runs, or are you more apt to overcome 1 run down?
2) Nothing guarantees the runner at 3rd WILL score, but it is likely. A low-ball pitcher with average skills is more likely to throw a wild pitch, but also more likely to get a ground ball.
3) If my pitcher/catcher are well trained, it is a good time for a pitch-out to see what the opposition is thinking and potentially catching the runner off 3rd.
4) Do you allow the runner on 1st to waltz into 2nd base? Which runner is your real priority?
5) If the batter squares to bunt, is the bat presented low? If so don't waste pitches too far out of the strike-zone, let her pop up a pitch in the upper zone.
6) Normally with a runner on 1st, late innings, you would play "waffle-defense", guarding against the extra base hit. Corners half s step closer to the line, outfield back 5 steps. Your runner priority will dictate this. Do you play normal, against the extra-base hit, or for example play back only CF and LF?
7) Who do you have coming up? I would prefer girls who can create runs and pressure personally.

 

[NJgators14uSPARK]

Depending on my pitcher. I give her two chances to throw a high fast ball. SHoulder pit level. Trying to get the batter to pop up the bunt. If I didn't get the batter to take the bait or pop it up. I would intentionally walk the batter if I didn't get a strike or two. If I didn't get any strikes I would work the umpire with balls off the plate and see what I got for a strike. Otherwise I load the bases. If I get the count evens up say 2-2 I would throw a ball to make it 3-2 (if I wanted to walk her) If 3-2 I would run a trick intentional walk.Maybe. I would have to have a feel for the game. Another scenerio is I run a first and thrid play. Based on the runners speed and the aggressiveness of the runner at third. That would help me with what play I would run. Sometime if the batter is 2-2 or 3-3 I would pitch to her. Statistically speaking she is do to make an out. Again it all depends on how the flow of the game is going, tendencies of caoches and players.

 

[Mike_Dyer]

Once upon a time I was coaching a game and I found myself in a situation.

I should tell you first that I should have got an out every time one of their batters came up and I refused to take it.

One of their coaches came to me and told me the situation between innings. I didn't feel right about it so I told them to go to the guy who kept the book and that he would make it right. I told the guy keeping the book what needed to happen. I told the umpire the situation, he pretty much said "whatever, maing."

I did the right thing. No doubt in my mind.

Also, this team had beat us the day before to put us in the basement of the bracket. It was a double elimination tournament.

Anyway. Tie game. Time is up. They were the home team. One out. Runner on 1st and 3rd. I told my pitcher to walk the batter. She was very confused. Threw an outside pitch that could have been hit. I told her that she had to make sure the ball couldn't get put in play. I told her to roll the next 3.

So she rolled one.

From The dugout I hear someone say "what is he doing?"

She rolled another one.

Then I hear the same voice say "THAT'S CHICKEN ****!"

...Yeah...

So we load the bases, the 3 hole hitter steps up to the plate.

Kid was having a monster game. I told my pitcher something like "Relax, kid. This is why you play this game, right??"

A big ole fatty gets laid right over the white part of the plate, the kid laces it to left field. I dropped my head because I knew the game was over, and the girl who was on 3rd trots home because that was that and everyone knew it.

Unfortunately for me and that nice young lady on third base the kid playing in the grass scooped the ball up about 2 inches off of the ground and fired it to 3rd.

We we're out of the inning.

I say unfortunate for me because my head was down and I missed seeing it. That poor girl on third though,,,

We ended up hanging about six runs on them and ITB. They didn't score in their half.

It's a good memory.

I want to live a long life, but I hope I don't live so long that I forget about that.

 

[mmeece]

Saw a similar situation in a baseball game. Kid hit a line-drive that should have been a walk-off win but in the celebration he never touched 1B. Outfielder chased it down and threw him out at 1B. They didn't even realize it for about 5 minutes.

 

[Ksphenom]

I guess I'll assume that the batter will set up extra deep in the box for a fake bunt attempting to allow advancement of runner camping on first.

If normal depth it could be a sacrifice bunt. Normal bunt defensive scheme.

Below would be fake bunt attempt deep in the box hitter.
High fastball strike. Throw that to SS drawing on 3rd base runner off the base maybe hold the runner on first. CF crashing acting as 2nd baseman.
2nd pitch -Change up strike (maybe)
Remaining pitches high inside. Induce bad hits or walk. I want this 1st out if not any bag when loaded and let my girls shine and flash leather.



Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Bobby Shirer]

This happened to my dd's team in the state championship. Runners 1st and 3rd, no outs, bottom of last. The catcher turns to the plate umpire, says something and then goes to the circle. The shortstop hollers at her about the runner on third and nobody covering home. Our girl on third leaves the bag and the umpire calls her out because the ball's in the circle in the pitcher's hand.
We didn't score and they beat us in extra innings. Afterward, I asked the other coach what the catcher said to the umpire. She had told the umpire that she did not want time called.
It was a bush league ploy but they went to regionals and we went home.