How to Drive the Baseball Without Rolling Over

Struggling with rolling over ground balls, pulling off pitches, or diving toward the plate?
In this video, former Gardner-Webb University Assistant Coach and 2016 NCAA National Champion with Coastal Carolina Anthony Marks demonstrates the Cross-Body Angle Batting Practice Drill, a hitting exercise designed to help players stay through the baseball, improve swing direction, and drive line drives to the middle and pull-side gap.
Rather than opening up early or trying to yank the baseball down the line, Marks teaches hitters to let the baseball travel across their face, maintain their load, and drive through the ball with proper barrel direction.
The goal is to produce strong line drives with true ball flight instead of weak flares, topspin ground balls, or rollover contact.
In this video, Marks covers:
- How to properly set up cross-body angle batting practice for right-handed and left-handed hitters.
- Why hitters should let the baseball travel deeper before attacking.
- How to maintain proper body positioning without opening the shoulders too early.
- Why this drill is especially beneficial for hitters who dive toward the plate.
- How to drive baseballs toward center field and the pull-side gap.
- How cross-body batting practice can improve swing adjustability against off-speed pitches.
- How to recognize good and bad contact through immediate ball-flight feedback.
At Gardner-Webb, Marks incorporated this drill approximately twice per week, using four rounds of six to eight swings to reinforce proper swing mechanics and hitting approach.
The drill can be performed using either front toss or batting practice, making it a useful addition to individual hitting sessions or team practices.
Whether you're a player looking to improve your contact quality or a coach helping hitters develop a more consistent approach, this drill provides a simple way to reinforce proper swing direction.
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