Easton and Baseball Factory Team Up to Take Player Performance to the Next Level

VAN NUYS, Calif. & COLUMBIA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

When it comes to a performance advantage on the field, Division I NCAA schools and the Little League World Series turn to Easton bats. More teams swung Easton bats in the 2012 College World Series than any other brand, and Easton bats accounted for 90 percent of all at-bats and 65 out of the 72 home runs hit during the Little League World Series. When it comes to upping their game, one in four 2012 College World Series players and one in four 2012 Major League Baseball draftees chose Baseball Factory as their training and instruction program. Today, Easton and Baseball Factory – two powerhouses in baseball – team up to create a unique, new player improvement experience at Baseball Factory events nationwide.

“At Easton, our mandate is to give every player a performance advantage through highly engineered products that help athletes maximize their talent,” said Chris Zimmerman, President of Easton Sports. “Baseball Factory is known for providing the next generation of players an opportunity to up their games, which makes them a perfect partner for us.”

Approximately 25,000 Baseball Factory event participants will now gain access to the Easton HIT LAB™, a complete system that leverages bat analytics and cognitive training to provide players with feedback and information about their swings. The only system of its kind, the Easton HIT LAB™ focuses on the science of hitting—calculating statistics using radar in a number of categories including ball exit velocity, vertical launch angle, and spin rate. This data helps players better understand their swing characteristics so they can choose the right bat.

“At Baseball Factory, we are always looking to provide our players with the right opportunity to increase their skill development,” said Baseball Factory CEO and Founder Steve Sclafani. “It's clear that Easton shares the same vision. We are excited to give our players an opportunity to experience the Easton HIT LAB™ and other innovative Easton technology at our events. This partnership will match the best in baseball and softball products with the best in on-field training and player development.”

Partnership Details

The partnership also extends to Softball Factory, which provides softball players with expert instruction, college planning and guidance, as well as Team One—Baseball Factory's showcase and tournament division. Easton is now the Official Bat and Ball Glove Supplier of Baseball Factory, Softball Factory and Team One.

A total of 20 events will be held annually where Easton's HIT LAB will be used for player evaluation. Event dates and locations for 2012 include the following:

• Softball Factory Select Training, Chula Vista, CA, Nov. 8-11
• Baseball Factory National Tryout and Premium Video Program, Rocklin, CA, Dec. 9
• Baseball Factory Christmas Camp and Tournament at Pirate City, Bradenton, FL, Dec. 27-30

About Easton Sports

Easton Sports is a developer, manufacturer, marketer and distributor of baseball, softball, hockey, and lacrosse equipment for both sports professionals and enthusiasts. Easton Sports focuses on its ability to innovate and create products of unmatched quality and performance including the #1 bat in the College World Series®, Women's College World Series®, Little League World Series®, and Slow-Pitch Softball. Headquartered in Van Nuys, Calif., Easton Sports employs over 1,200 people worldwide and maintains facilities in Utah, California, Mexico, Canada and Sweden. For further information, please visit www.eastonsports.com.

About Baseball Factory

Baseball Factory has developed programs to provide players with world-class instruction and life-changing experiences, which when combined, lead to future success both on and off the field. Baseball Factory holds over 500 events nationwide each year in over 40 states and 100 cities. We pride ourselves on giving families an unbiased assessment of where they stand against other players nationwide. Baseball Factory events have featured more than 290 players who have played or are currently playing in the Majors and over 40,000 players have gone on to play at the college level. 98% of Division I, 70% of Division II and 60% of Division III programs have at least one Baseball Factory alumnus on their roster. Learn more at www.baseballfactory.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50461480&lang=en