Fielding Drill: Common Defensive Situations (Baseball & Softball)

Setup: - Place runners at appropriate bases for each scenario - Use cones or markers for positioning reference - Have extra balls ready for quick transitions 1. Announce the Situation Clearly - State outs, runners on base, score if relevant - Example: "Runner on first, nobody out" - Let defense set up and communicate - Give 10-15 seconds for defensive positioning 2. Execute the Play - Coach hits or throws ball to specific location - Can hit to outfield (LF/CF/RF) or infield positions - Runners go live and defense executes - All coverages and backups must be made 3. Freeze and Teach - Freeze play for 5-10 seconds after completion - Quick coaching points on positioning and execution - Who should have been where? - Were backups and coverages correct? 4. Rerun at Game Speed - Same scenario, same hit location - This time defense should execute perfectly - Emphasize game speed and crisp throws - Move to next scenario Key Scenarios to Practice: - Runner on 1st, 0 outs (focus on double play) - Runner on 2nd, 0 outs (focus on keeping runner at 2nd) - Runners on 1st and 3rd, less than 2 outs - Fly balls to outfield with runner tagging

• Call the situation loudly before every rep
• Everyone has a role - cover, backup, or cutoff
• Throws go through the relay/cutoff head
• Keep freeze brief - teach quickly and rerun
• Communication is critical - call everything
• Match game intensity and urgency