Long Base: One-Base Bat Ball
A bat-and-field game with a single faraway base: after hitting, the batter runs to it and may stay or run back home to score, and several runners can wait on the base at once. Students work on striking, base running, and making decisions under risk.
How to play
- Mark a batting area, a fan-shaped foul line with cones, and a long base 20 m from home. Two teams of 12 (3 minutes).
- The teacher or a student pitches easy and underhand. Each batter gets three tries to put the ball in play inside the fan (2 minutes to explain).
- After hitting, the batter drops the bat in the home hoop and runs to the base. They decide whether to stay there or run back home on the same play to score a point (3-minute trial).
- Runners on the base can run home on any later hit. There's no limit on how many runners stay on the base (7-minute game).
- Outs: a ball caught in the air, or a runner tagged with the ball in hand while off the base or home. After three outs or once the whole team has batted, switch sides (7 more minutes).
- Three-minute wrap-up: count points and discuss when it was better to risk running home.
Rules
- Leave the bat in the home hoop; throwing it is an out.
- Tag runners with the ball in hand; never throw it at them.
- Fielders stay more than 6 m from the batter until the ball is hit.
- On the base, you must be touching it with a foot or hand.
Variations
Easier
Hit off a tee cone with the base at 15 m.
Standard
Easy pitching, base at 20 m, and multiple runners on the base.
Harder
Swap the bat for hitting with the hand and move the base to 25 m.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: use a pinch runner or a closer halfway base that counts the same.
- Autism or shyness: tell them their place in the batting order ahead of time.
- Weaker hitters: hit off a cone or use a wider bat.
Learning goals
- Hit a pitched ball into fair territory.
- Decide when to take a running risk based on the situation.
- Organize on defense to field the ball quickly.
Equipment for a class of 25
- soft bats: 2
- soft balls: 3
- bases: 1
- cones: 10
Teacher tip
Keep waiting batters behind a line 5 m from the batter so no one gets hit by a swing. It works best if the teacher pitches at first so there are lots of good hits.
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