Softball Hitting Drills To Increase Your Hitting Success

We are in season right now and  now and everybody is looking for ways to improve their hitting effectiveness. At this time of the year, you don't as many of the basic softball hitting drills to work on the fundamentals but you spent more time on timing, rythm, pitch recognition, hitting various pitches, making adjustments at the plate, and so on.

I have for you two excellent, somewhat advanced live pitching drills that works on those elements of timing, adjustments, etc. They are live pitching drills but they can also be done with just front toss from a shorter distance.  if you have nobody that can pitch to them. I've done it successfully many times with pretty good results. You just set-up a screen 20-25 feet from homeplate and just front toss the ball underhead to the batter. It works great.

Here are the two drills:

Full Count Game

This is a great game simulation drill that teaches hitters to be aggressive and to hit under pressure. Two teams face off in a 7 inning game with each batter coming into the box with a full count. Action is quick and players must be alert both offensively and defensively. The count may also be changed to 2-2 and each team can be given one out to start the inning.

Up the Middle

Many hitting problems can occur from a player not being able to wait for the ball. By trying to hit the ball up the middle the hitter is forced to stay back and balanced. This drill can be used as a batting practice station. Throw batting practice pitches to the hitter. Hitter tries to hit the ball back to the screen.You may find that this drill can be helpful as part of every batting practice. For example, the main hitting station of batting practice may begin with the hitter hitting 2 balls the opposite way, 2 up the middle, then swing away. Let's say for the swing away portion you give each hitter 10 swings. Try adding on an extra swing for each successful hit the other way and up the middle. A hitter can then get an extra 4 swings by successfully handling the bat. Make a game of it: split into teams. Give each hitter 2 or 3 chances.1 point for each ball that hits the screen.

Keep working hard on hitting.

Who loves ya?

Marc