JustBats Blog

Carie Dever-Boaz Slap Hitting Video Tutorial

Written by Derek H | Aug 7, 2013 5:00:57 AM

As a former Division 1 Head Coach and National Pro Fastpitch National Champion, Carie Dever-Boaz is one of the best in the game. Carie recently dropped by the JustBats facility to unlock the secrets to slap hitting.

Slap hitters, or “slappers,” are table setters for power hitters. Slapping is different from regular hitting, as the player hits from the left side and will move through the box as they make contact in order to get a jump down the line. It’s best suited for speedy players with excellent bat control, as the objective of slap hitters is to take advantage of the 5-6 hole between shortstop and third base to put pressure on the defense.

Slapping Progressions
No matter how fast a player is, it will be difficult to beat out a play when a ball is hit squarely. That’s why it’s important to hit the top 1/3rd of the ball with the bottom 1/3rd of the bat. In this video, Carie breaks down the basics of slap hitting through a progression of drills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Ka4pfZqTM

The Art of Slapping
Fastpitch bats are designed to have an optimized sweet spot. Although large, responsive sweet spots are great for hitters, it makes slapping difficult, as it’s very hard to beat out a hard hit ball. In this video Carie provides drills to increase bat control in order to avoid hitting the ball on the sweet spot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8wHLEbaVwQ

Are you a slap hitter? Which fastpitch bat has elevated your game? Submit your game action photos and videos for a chance to win a $25.00 or $300.00 gift card.

 

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