Advance Softball Hitting Drills

Casey Bass: Today, we have asked friend of the show, Crissy Rapp who was our softball guru to come back, and work with me on some more advanced techniques. If you got your kids, and they have got a good fundamental base for hitting a fast pitch softball, we are going work on a drill that will help them continue to move on to the next level on increasing their skills. It's going to be a great show. So, stay tuned today to Clubhouse Gas. Today, we are joined again by friend of the show, Crissy Rapp. Crissy, thanks for joining us. Crissy Rapp: Thanks, Casey. Casey Bass: And, we are going to work on at least one drill for a softball player who is more advanced, like me. Since, I've been through the Crissy Rapp Basic Softball School here on Clubhouse Gas. Crissy Rapp: Right. Absolutely. Casey Bass: Alright, so what are we going to do today? Crissy Rapp: We are going to talk about the concept of contact points. So, it's just going to be one drill, but it really is huge, as far as an athlete being able to be successful at the play at the higher level. As we know, you know, in the high school level pitching gets better, and it's not just fast balls down the middle like you've seen. So, in addition to being to hit your favorite pitch or the pitch that you are pulling down left you at every time, we want the athlete to be able to hit to the opposite field, drive a pitch up the middle. And there is a specific, but simple drill that we can do to really work on these different contact points. So, Casey wants to hit a pitch coming down, say the inside pitch that he is really going to turn on, then he is going to make contact further out than he normally would, and it's going to be a little bit further on him. So, prefect, he's just going to turn on that pitch, really drive his hips through, get the bat angle out there, and make good contact, driving it down to third base. If that ball was to come down the middle, actually let's take a cut on that case. You're hitting, get it right down there. Crissy Rapp: Good shot. Casey Bass: I've got a good teacher. Crissy Rapp: So, that's turned on that inside pitch. Now, if the ball was to come more down the middle, that contact point is going to change. So, we just wait here for that outside pitch, which is further out in front of the play. When it's coming down the middle, we are going to wait a little bit longer, because if we keep that same swing, that's when we hit it off the knob, and we get that little crappy ground to third base. So, that's if you are trying to pull that pitch that you should have waited on just a little bit more, to get more of the bat head on the ball. So, as soon we you recognize that this pitch isn't coming down inside, it's coming down the middle, we just modify that swing slightly to wait on it. Let it get in; drive it right back at the pitcher or slightly to left field. Let's see Case. Crissy Rapp: Perfect. So, you see that he's not opening up quite as much. The ball is in a little but further, and he's driving it right back where it came from. One more cut. Crissy Rapp: Perfect. Now, the outside pitch is when that tends to get players. And, this is one that would always get me. And so, I really learnt this concept of waiting on this outside pitch and driving it to right field or up the middle. So again, it's kind of a diagonal progression that we're working with here, so when working on that outside pitch, we are going to put it right over the outside play, and it really gets in a little bit further on the batter. So, you are going to keep that bat angle by just wait until that ball is close to in on you to drive it. Again, if we open up, and we start to pull it, not even going to make contact or barely knob it off the end of the bat, and get that ground. So, Casey is going to wait a little bit longer, let it get in on him, and try it to the opposite field. Crissy Rapp: Perfect. We'll take one more cut. Crissy Rapp: Good, Excellent. So, that's the basic concept of hitting contact points. The progression from here would be to move to front toss. So, having players say only attack the outside pitch, only attack the inside pitch, only attack the pitch down the middle, or telling you afterwards where that pitch was that they just hit just to increase their awareness of pitch selection. Casey Bass: So, you do your front toss two ways or you would do it throwing it in and out and telling the player, only hit the outside pitch or only hit the inside pitch. And then you would do, throw it in and out, and after every pitch, tell me where it was. Crissy Rapp: Absolutely. To make them recognize, instead of just going in and hacking at everything the same way. Casey Bass: It's about awareness of being the smarter hitter. Crissy Rapp: Absolutely. Casey Bass: Is there any way that you could work with Andrew Jones? You know what; never mind, he's gone. He's no longer a brave, so, we'll be alright. Crissy, thanks for joining us. Crissy Rapp: Thanks for having me. Casey Bass: I'm going to play fast pitch softball now, put on a wig with that technique. We'll see you right back here tomorrow on Clubhouse Gas.