Softball Play Library

Runner on first breaks late, runner on third reads the throw and goes home.

Teaches: Stealing a run with two runners and no hit.

Square early, deaden the ball down the line and move the runner up ninety feet.

Teaches: Giving yourself up cleanly to move a run into scoring position.

Runner goes, batter protects and hits behind him into the vacated hole.

Teaches: Staying out of the double play and taking two bases on a single.

Runner breaks from third on the pitch and the batter must get the bunt down.

Teaches: The highest-pressure run in the short game.

Runner reads the outfielder's angle off the bat and never breaks stride at second.

Teaches: Reading the ball, not the coach.

Two hard steps after the catch, then go when the middle infielders relax.

Teaches: Stealing on the defence's attention, not the pitcher's arm.

Runner tags at third on a fly ball, reads the catch and breaks on contact.

Teaches: Scoring on an out.

Show bunt to pull the corners in, then pull back and slap it past them.

Teaches: Punishing a defence that over-commits to the bunt.

With two outs the runners go on contact and never stop at the next base.

Teaches: Scoring from second on any base hit with two down.

Trapped between bases: stay alive long enough for the trail runner to advance.

Teaches: Trading one out for a base, on purpose.

Ball in the left-centre gap: shortstop lines up the relay, catcher sets for the tag.

Teaches: Two accurate throws beat one long one.

Corners crash, shortstop wheels to third and the throw goes to the lead base.

Teaches: Getting the lead runner instead of the easy out.

Catcher throws through to second, shortstop cuts it and checks the runner at third.

Teaches: Not giving up a free run on a double steal.

Ground ball to short: feed the bag, clear the runner and finish at first.

Teaches: Footwork and rhythm on the most important play in the game.

Right fielder throws home through the first baseman as the cut man.

Teaches: Lining up cuts so you can still keep the batter at first.

Run him hard back to the previous base, one throw, tag him out.

Teaches: Finishing a rundown with a single throw.

Infield up: field it, check the runner and throw home to keep the run off the board.

Teaches: Giving up a base to save a run.

Outfield beats infield, centre field beats everybody — one loud call ends it.

Teaches: Never letting a routine pop-up drop.

Pull shift with the third baseman covering second and the pitcher taking the hole.

Teaches: Keeping every base covered when you move your infield.

Pitcher and outfielders back up the bases so an overthrow costs nothing.

Teaches: The habit that saves a run a week.