Chasing Oppo Hitting Drill
June 2008
By: Mike Swiech, Head Baseball Coach, Paraclete High School
Equipment: Balls, Helmets, Bats and Gloves
Purpose: To teach aggressive running from home to second base, and to hit to the opposite field
Split the team into two groups. Place a glove in left field in normal straight-up outfield positioning. One group of players will hit,
the others will go to the outfield. The glove is the starting point for the players out in the field. The object of the game is for the
batter to hit the ball to right field, and advance at least to second base to earn one point, before both players from left field run on
to the ball in right field and touch it. So, both fielders must chase the ball down and each one must touch the ball to kill the play.
The base runner gets one point for second base, two points for third base and three points for reaching home.
This is very demanding on the fielders, as well as the runner. It serves as conditioning as well as teaching proper base-running angles.
Most of all, it teaches the importance of using the right side of the field to advance runners, as well as turning singles into doubles.
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