Equipment Needed
- Balls
- Bases
Keep a ball in every rundown
A bucket of practice baseballs means every group can run their own rundown rep at the same time.
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- Set up a runner caught between two bases with two fielders and support players backing up each base.
- A coach signals when to start the rundown.
Instructions
- The fielder with the ball sprints directly at the runner, forcing a commitment.
- As the ball moves toward a base, the covering fielder calls loudly for the throw when they're in position.
- Support players back up behind each base in case of an errant throw.
- Aim to end the rundown in one or two throws maximum, then reset with a new rundown scenario.
Coaching Points
- The fielder with the ball should run AT the runner, not toward the base, to force the decision quickly.
- Calling for the ball early and clearly prevents the hesitation that lets runners escape rundowns.
- Never fake a throw that isn't real in a way that could fool your own teammates — only fake the runner.
- Backing up every base involved is what turns a bad throw into a minor issue instead of a run scored.
Variation
Add a trailing runner from another base to raise the stakes, or time each rundown to encourage quick, decisive execution.