strategy

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bottom 7th, tie game. Your opponent has runners on 2nd and 3rd, and 1 out. Winning run is on 3rd. The number 9 hitter is up to bat and she hasn't done anything in 3 games. Do you walk her to load the bases and setup the force out at home? Or do you pitch to her hoping to get the 2nd out then walk the leadoff? Or is there some other option you'd take.

Me? I'd pitch to her with the instructions given to my infielders to hold the runner at 3rd, do not make a play on the batter unless its right to the 1st baseman. Idea being that, with 1 out and only runners on 2nd and 3rd the runner at 3rd is not forced so on the crack of the bat she cannot just take off neccessarily. I'd take my chances that we get the 9 hitter without giving up the run. Plus the pressure of walking in the winning run is not there yet. If she gets a hit and wins the game you'd have to think that still was less likely than the leadoff batter on deck getting the hit or fly ball. If we get the #9 hitter without giving up the run then we're no worse off and then we walk #1 and face #2 with the bases loaded 2 outs.

Just looking for opinions.

 

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I'd pitch to the # 9. hope for a K. . Then pitch to the leadoff if you feel you can get her out. (assuming your pitcher has the control to just about guarntee to force the batter to hit) . I'd also take into account the "feel" for how well the #1 hitter has batted as compared to the # 2. pitch to the girl that has looked less comfortable at the plate. MD No way would I walk the 9 if she has been weak at the plate.

 

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Pitch to #9 as you said, with instruction to hold runner at 3rd. Pressure is on #9 -- may get the K.
Why walk #1 to face #2? That sets up the pressure of walking in winning run. With 2 outs, get #1 out as the 3rd out, unless she has hit everything your pitcher has thrown and #2 has not.

Just read what MD posted --- what he said!

 

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I tend to agree with "what they said," with one exception. You've got to know the #9 hitter, because she might be a "second" #1, insofar as the short game is concerned, even if she hasn't been able to hit a lick up to this point. With one out, they might squeeze, so your corner infielders (and your bench) need to be aware of the possibility and ready to let everyone know if suicide or safety squeeze is on.

And in the case of a well defended squeeze, you might get a batter runner heading to second right away for something like the "delayed steal." Normally I would wait until the next pitch to send her, but in this situation sending her directly, if the offense could do it, might take advantage of a confusion in the defense.

 

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krm, That 7th innings series of events sounds all too familiar, like this just happened...lol.

How about this strategy. Lead-off hitter leads off with a single, bunt her to second, one out, bunt her to third, two outs, take your chances with the next hitter. When do you do this and how often or should you be doing this at 12U? Also, do you coach this way with a team that can hit? Krm, you now what I am talking about.

 

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I'm not sure I'd ever do this at 12u or above. If I'm the defense, you've given me two outs I need. And even though there are several ways to score from third with two outs, it doesn't make sense to give up the second out. Why not steal and then sacrifice? Doesn't that make more sense? Then you've got a runner at third with one out. Or simply sacrifice the runner to second then look to advance on a PB/WP. The runner from second should score on any single to the outfield, except for a bullet hit right at a fielder.

 

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Score more runs in the 6th so the game isn't tied in the 7th.....problem solved .

 

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you got me mill rose. We were thinking about it afterwards and most came to the conclusion that we'd go after the 9 hitter and see if she Ks or pops out to the infield or something. not saying how the team went about it was wrong, just that the odds might be better pitching to that 9 hitter. Especially this particular 9 hitter I'm talking about.

If girls can hit, then dragging and bunting to get 1 or 2 every few innings would seem to hold the team back and help the other team out. Makes for alot of close games when maybe it wouldn't be. And against a good defense how many runs would be expected to score? If you trust your pitching that much then I guess there are many ways to win a game and the final score doesn't matter versus the win in and of itself. Our girls aren't really built for alot of bunting and no dragging whatsoever. Our leadoff isn't super fast. She's leadoff because she never strikes out against anybody and has a ridiculous on base usually. 2-7 can hit balls in the gaps and for power. 8-10 we'd bunt sometimes but again they're just not currently built to drag. Especially turning them around. They still need to work from the right side on hitting in general. All teams are different though. The above is just the makeup of our particular team at this moment. Believe me, we were one game away from having our 3(my dd) and 4 hitters try bunting and dragging. That had a rough weekend overall. Though one did hit the HR in the top of the 7th to provide a much needed run for some cushion. My philosphy is let them hit I guess if they can hit.