Pitcher Covering First Drill

Sometimes at this level, its hard to teach other players to cover bases and do things they aren't necessarily used to doing. One of the hardest to teach and perfect is the situation where the pitcher has to cover first.

Luckily, in our league the bases are close enough together that this usually isn't an issue, but as you move up into pony and beyond, this is a great skill to already know.

1) Line up your first basemen at first base and have them alternate one at a time.
2) Have one player go through a complete windup and with you standing at the plate, hit a ground ball into the hole that is far enough away from the base that the first baseman can make a play but still have to pitch the ball.
3) After the ball is hit, the pitcher should run towards a spot approximately 15 feet down the line from 1st base towards home. When he gets about 5 feet away from the line, he should curve up the line, making sure to stay inside the line and out of the path of the baserunner (any contact is interference).
4) The first baseman should underhand the ball to the base, leading the pitcher to the base with the ball.

MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU STAY INSIDE OF THE LINE AND DO NOT CROSS OVER THE BAG TO AVOID A COLLISION!