SACRIFICE BUNT
BATTER
It is vitally important that you either A) put the bunted ball in play or B) IF the pitch is well out of the strike zone, that you let it go. The runner will not be moving to the next base UNTIL she sees the ball on the ground.
As a sacrifice bunter, it is your responsibility to put any pitch in the strike zone on the ground. The strike zone, for the sacrifice bunter, is any ball that is level with your hands to below your calf. Your goal is to put the ball on the ground in play...NOT to be safe at first! Your job is to catch the ball with the bat BEFORE you move out of the batters box.
You can watch Jessica Mendoza's video and then the description and stills below!
CORRECT BUNTING
it is vitally important to get your eyes within 7" of the bat, with your eyes practically looking over the top of the bat.
Now unlike the batter below, you will always have your helment with face guard on. But notice how she is looking over the top of the bat and her face roughly 7" from the bat. This is the proper body position for the sacrifice bunt.
From the side view of the batter in the blue helmet below, you can see how she is looking over top of the bat while keeping her head down on the ball. This is how you want to be standing when the pitch is delivered from the pitcher.

If the ball is pitched low, keep the bat and your head in the same position, but lower your body by the knees to go down for the low pitch. You can even go down on a knee to get that lower pitch.

FOOT POSITION
When sacrifice bunting, there are two options for your stance to choose from.
The first is to simply square around like Natasha Wahtley is doing below. As the pitcher begins her wind-up, you square both toes to face the pitcher. All other components of the bunt will be identical. When properly bunting, you want to bunt or catch the top half of the ball. This will drive the ball down.

The other option for your stance is the pivot position. Here, you simply rotate on the balls of your feet, but squaring your shoulders to the pitcher. This is shown in the photo below.
BAD BUNTING - Avoid these mistakes!
I even hate to put this out for you to see...but in some way we need to know what NOT to do as well.
HIGH PITCH - Stay low and not move high
As you face better pitchers and they become aware of that the situation on the field calls for a bunt, the pitcher will attempt to make the batter either miss or pop up the attempted bunt. The better pitchers will usually throw a high pitch in order to get you to pop up. This is why it is critical for you to be ready to NOT reach up in your attempt to bunt the ball. IF the pitched ball is above the level of your level bunt bat position…pull the bat back and make NO attempt to go up for the ball. You will pop up if you try to stand up or miss the ball
.
Note how the batter in this photo on the right, has raised her bat WELL above the strike zone and is, in fact is on her tip toes. This is NOT good and will only lead to either missing the ball for a strike or popping up. Not only has she reached up for the ball and in danger of popping up, but in extending up onto her toes, she has removed herself from a good athletic position.
You do NOT want create more distance between your face and the bat, such as in the batter below. Her face is a good 2 feet from the ball. Keeping the bat closer to your face and use your knees to go down for the ball. In addition, as with a regular swing...the batters eyes should be down, looking at the ball and bat meet. Should does two things:
First...it greatly increases the batters chance of actually making contact with the ball. It is a normal tendancy (especially for fearful players) to move their eyes away from the contact zone.
Second is a safety reason. With the eyes and head facing forward (as in the batter below) the opening between the bottom of the face guard and the players chest exposes the batter to a foul ball to the neck. That creates a dangerous situation. Keeping the head and eyes down, reduces the space between the bottom of the face guard and the players chest.
