Softball Rundown Drill

A lot of things can go wrong in a rundown. Here's a drill to make sure your squad is able to execute mistake-free rundowns.

Setting Up the Drill

To complete this drill you must have at least eight players and preferably 10 or more. I will set it up for 10 in this example.

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First, put two players at each base (including home). Place one runner ( with glove on too) between home and 3rd and one between 1st and 2nd.

Running the Drill

Give the 1st in line at 1st base the ball and have her run at the runner between 3rd and home, taking an angle to cut the runner off from home. The drill is now in play.

The player with the ball tries to prevent the runner from scoring at all costs and throws the ball to home if necessary. If she successfully turns runner toward 3rd then she gets runner to full speed and throws the ball to third.

Try to complete the out with as few throws as possible. When they get real good, it will be 1 throw.

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When an out is made or a runner reaches a base the person with the ball in hand sprints toward the runner between 1st and 2nd cutting her off from 2nd and continuing as the first run down was run in as few throws as possible.

Maximizing the Drill

The drill now repeats back toward home. Always take good angles to cut runner off from advancing a base. Complete in as few throws as possible.

The person at home and 3rd stations that would have received the ball next is the runner now between 3rd and home. The last runner is now on either 3rd or at home for the returning rundown in a few seconds. The same is true at 2nd and 1st rotation.

The drill can be run for time, say 5 minutes or so.

Enforcing the Fundamentals

If any fielder runs into the runner after throwing the ball and causes an obstruction, the team will get a lap at the end of the drill for it.

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This is a critical mistake to be avoided at all cost in games. Best of luck. I hope it is helpful. It should help the players to understand the following points:

• Good angles will turn the runner back
• Immediately following a run down look for the next runner trying to advance
• Obstructing the runner should be avoided
• If the runner is safe back at original base nothing is lost but they should never be allowed to advance to the next base