User:Gma78/Softball

There are three main types of slaps: drag bunt, push bunt, and power slap. The drag bunt is used when the first or third baseman fails to charge in on the batter. In order to perform a drag bunt, the hitter crosses their feet, drops their barrel, and meets pitch as it comes in from the pitcher. The bunt only travels a few feet off the bat, giving the hitter enough time to run to first base before the first or third baseman can field the ball. The push bunt is used when the third baseman is charging on the batter, but the shortstop remains in their normal position. The hitter does not necessarily drop their barrel like a bunt, but they simply slide their hands up towards the barrel and lightly swing as they cross their feet over. Many describe this as a “check swing.” By doing this, the hitter is able to push the ball past the incoming third baseman to the shortstop who is playing deep. Since the ball is not traveling very fast, the hitter has enough time to run to first base before the shortstop can field the ball and throw them out. The power slap is used when both the third baseman and shortstop are charging in on the hitter. The hitter does not change the position of their hands, they swing normally as they cross their feet over. Hitters normally try to hard slap the ball into the air so that it can pass the shortstop and third baseman and reach the outfield. Since hitters who are able to slap have many options to get on base, they can sometimes be regarded as the hardest hitters to get out. They can alternate each type of slap between each at-bat or even between each pitch to leave the defense guessing.