STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Travis Higgs used to hit at least seven home runs during a 40-minute session of batting practice. Using one of college baseball’s new, safer metal bats this week, he cleared the fence just once.
That’s fine with the University of San Francisco catcher, and his coach. Same with Dons pitcher Matt Hiserman, who survived a life-threatening skull fracture last February when he was hit with a line drive during an intrasquad game.
Many college players have been swinging the new bats since fall workouts, getting a feel for what it’s like to have the sweet spot shrink from some 22 inches to barely more than 5. Coaches and players figure power numbers and batting averages will be worse this spring and ERAs much improved in the initial season as everybody adjusts.
