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Softball drill

One-hand bunting drill

Hitters bunt soft tosses holding the bat with only the top hand, first kneeling, then standing, then with both hands. It teaches the top hand to steer the barrel and catch the ball out in front.

A youth softball hitter kneeling on a pad holding a short bat level out front in one hand as a kneeling coach soft-tosses a ball
Video by D-BAT Sports on YouTube. The write-up below is ours.

At a glance

Sport
Baseball and Softball
Skill
Bunting
Ages
6U to 14U
Players
2 (a hitter and a tosser)
Time
About 10 minutes
Level
Beginner
Equipment
A bat (a light or short bat helps young players), Soft balls or tennis balls, A pad to kneel on, Batting helmet
Indoors
Yes

The top hand does most of the work in a bunt. It holds the barrel, sets the angle and gives at contact. Many hitters let the bottom hand take over and push the bat at the ball. Taking the bottom hand off the bat makes the top hand learn its job.

The drill goes in three short steps, from kneeling to standing to both hands, so the hitter keeps the same feel as more of the body comes into it. Use soft balls; a one-handed bat is harder to control, and the point is touch, not strength.

Setup

  • The tosser kneels or sits about 10 to 15 feet in front of the plate, or tosses from behind a screen.
  • Put a pad down at the plate for the kneeling round.
  • The hitter wears a helmet and holds the bat with the top hand only, up near the barrel, fingers behind it.

How to run it

  1. Kneeling: the hitter kneels on the back knee with the front foot down and holds the bat out in front with the top hand only.
  2. The tosser feeds soft strikes. The hitter catches each one on the barrel and lets it drop. Five to eight.
  3. Standing: the hitter stands in a bunting stance, still with the top hand only, and bunts five to eight more, aiming down a line.
  4. Both hands: the bottom hand goes back on the handle, and the hitter bunts with the same soft top-hand feel. Five to eight.

Coaching points

  • The top hand holds the bat from behind the barrel, fingers out of the way.
  • Barrel at the top of the zone and above the hand.
  • Catch the ball out in front of the plate, not back near the body.
  • In the last round the bottom hand only steadies the bat. The top hand still steers it.

Common mistakes

  • Fingers wrapped around the front of the barrel.
  • Letting the barrel droop below the hand with only one hand on the bat.
  • Reaching with the bottom hand in the last round and pushing the bat at the ball.

Printable drill card

Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.

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By age

Coach pitch and 10U

Use a light bat and foam or tennis balls so a miss does not hurt, and stay in the kneeling round until the hand position is safe.

12U and 14U

In the standing round, tilt the barrel to send bunts toward third, then first, with the top hand alone.

Next: Free lineup card generator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why practice bunting with one hand?

With only the top hand on the bat, the hitter has to steer the barrel and give at contact with that hand. It breaks the habit of pushing the bat at the ball with the bottom hand.

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