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Step 1
Start with your hands and weight back. That's something that all good hitters do. You want your weight and momentum moving forward as the pitch comes in and the last thing you want to put in motion is your hands. You want to take as much time before starting your swing to recognize the type and location of the pitch that has been thrown. Once you have made that decision, start your swing and bring your hands into the hitting zone by pointing the knob of the bat at the ball. Then bring your hands through and snap your wrists.
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Step 2
Roll your wrists over the top of the ball on impact. The combination of leading with the knob of the bat and rolling the wrists will send the ball to the opposite field and do it with authority. It's not enough to push the ball through the right side of the infield for a right-handed batter--unless it's a hit-and-run play--and the rolling of the wrists will create an overspin on the ball that will give it the extra thrust you need to send it into the gaps and to the wall between the outfielders.
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Step 3
Look for the ball on the outside portion of the plate. It's much easier for a right-handed batter to send this pitch to right field than it is an inside pitch. It's an easier swing and one that can be accomplished with a dose of power as well. Hitting an inside pitch to the opposite field--known as inside-outing the ball--is a more difficult task to master.
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Step 4
Hitting the ball to the opposite field with some regularity will help you and your team. Pull hitters regularly get overplayed to their strong side. A left-handed batter, who is only looking to pull the ball to the right with power, will often see three infielders stacked up on the right side of the infield thereby preventing a good percentage of his shots from getting through. Outfielders will also overplay to right field and take potential extra base hits away the batter. Hitters who go to the opposite field will get a more "honest" treatment by the defense and have a more wide-open field at their disposal.
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Step 5
Use patience when trying to hit the ball to the opposite field. Don't necessarily swing at the first pitch. Look for a pitch that's in the middle or outside part of the plate if you want to drive it to the opposite field. That may not be the first or second pitch. Have confidence that you can hit the ball even if you already have one or two strikes against you.
