Easton Helps Little League World Series Players Maximize Their Potential with Latest Technology and Easton Hit Lab Experience

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Easton Sports today announced it will serve as the Official Team Equipment Supplier at the 2012 Little League Baseball® World Series (LLBWS)—taking place August 16 - 26 in Williamsport, PA. Easton will outfit LLBWS participants top-of-the-line Easton baseball equipment including its new Power Brigade bats, batting gloves, shoes and catcher’s gear, providing all participants the chance to maximize their potential.

Additionally, every participant will have the opportunity to experience the Easton HIT LAB™—which features an interactive batting system that uses swing analytics to custom fit players’ swings to the correct bat. Participants will receive feedback and statistics based on their swing, helping them choose the right bat for unique swing characteristics. This is the same technology utilized by top NCAA Division I teams, which swing Easton bats in more numbers than any other brand.

The 2012 LLBWS will also mark the first time that Easton’s new Power Brigade bats will be swung in competition—with each player custom-fitted for either the S1 or XL1 model using Easton HIT LAB™ technology. The S1 features a light swing weight to help generate more bat speed, while the XL1 expands the hitting zone with an extra-long barrel.

“We at Easton are committed to doing everything we can to give athletes a distinct, measurable performance advantage—from innovative new products like our new Power Brigade bats to advanced tools and technology like those offered via our HIT LAB™,” said Chris Zimmerman, President of Easton Sports. “We’re thrilled to bring this approach to youth baseball’s premier event, and can’t wait to watch all the action unfold in Williamsport.”

To enhance the Easton HIT LAB™ experience, Easton is partnering with Axon Sports to help players better understand and perfect their pitch recognition abilities. Experts from Axon—which focus on the cognitive element of sport by helping athletes “train above the neck”—will provide training using a new mobile pitch recognition app developed by Axon. The new app enables the user to recognize the location and type of pitch based on the delivery from the pitcher.

“Just as Easton baseball bats provide today’s hitters with a competitive edge, Axon Sports is committed to improving their performance at the plate by training their anticipation and recognition skills with our Baseball Athletic Brain Trainer apps for iPad,” said Jason Sada, President of Axon Sports. “We are proud to be partnering with Easton and excited to be part of the HIT LAB experience at the Little League Baseball World Series.”

Power Brigade Series Makes Competitive Debut in Williamsport
Easton’s lineup of Power Brigade bats has had a profound impact on competitive baseball—quickly gaining popularity at levels of play that adhere to the BBCOR standard. Power Brigade bats are tailored to each player’s specific hitting style, from pure power to contact hitters. As the second generation of Easton’s market-leading bat lineup, the new Power Brigade series offers a variety of two piece composite, two-piece composite/aluminum, and one-piece aluminum bats that enable players to personalize their power like never before.

For more information on Easton’s participation at the 2012 LLBWS, including its new Power Brigade bats, Easton HIT LAB, and the Axon mobile app, go to www.eastonbaseball.com/llws.

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.