But the selection process is critical at the college level, too. Lamar has a contract with Easton sporting goods. Team members select a bat from the company's catalog of approximately 50 bats each season and Easton provides them with one at no personal cost. Players choose their bat based upon reputation, their experience and the recommendations of teammates. The variables of each bat include the width of the barrel and its length and weight.
Length determines how far the batter can reach for a pitch.
The width increases the chance of making contact. Both make the bat weigh more, which affects how quickly the hitter can swing. Other variables factor in to a bat's efficiency. Like how its handle is taped, which affects how well a player can grip it. Lamar's Wes Koch switched to George Johnson's bat earlier this season.