Coach Burke was emphasizing proper hitting mechanics during Tuesday's practice at the ball field. He was extremely impressed to see several of his players hit the ball off the outfield fence and a few over the fence during batting practice. The players increased their hitting distance by:
Choking up on the bat and decelerating their bat speed
Extending their arms and maximizing the bat speed upon contact
Gripping the bat tighter to insure more control over the swing
Reducing the force of the swing upon contact