diff --git a/src/main.lua b/src/main.lua
index 74e53a8..a4f78b0 100644
--- a/src/main.lua
+++ b/src/main.lua
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ local teams <const> = {
 ---@field deltaSeconds number
 ---@field ball Ball
 ---@field battingTeam TeamId
----@field catcherThrownBall boolean
+---@field pitchIsOver boolean
+---@field didSwing boolean
 ---@field offenseState OffenseState
 ---@field inning number
 ---@field stats Statistics
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ Game = {}
 function Game.new(settings, announcer, fielding, baserunning, npc, state)
     announcer = announcer or Announcer.new()
     fielding = fielding or Fielding.new()
-    settings.userTeam = nil -- "away"
+    settings.userTeam = "away"
 
     local homeTeamBlipper = blipper.new(100, settings.homeTeamSprites.smiling, settings.homeTeamSprites.lowHat)
     local awayTeamBlipper = blipper.new(100, settings.awayTeamSprites.smiling, settings.awayTeamSprites.lowHat)
@@ -132,7 +133,8 @@ function Game.new(settings, announcer, fielding, baserunning, npc, state)
             battingTeam = battingTeam,
             offenseState = C.Offense.batting,
             inning = 1,
-            catcherThrownBall = false,
+            pitchIsOver = false,
+            didSwing = false,
             secondsSinceLastRunnerMove = 0,
             secondsSincePitchAllowed = 0,
             battingTeamSprites = settings.awayTeamSprites,
@@ -237,7 +239,7 @@ end
 function Game:pitch(pitchFlyTimeMs, pitchTypeIndex)
     Fielding.markIneligible(self.fielding.fielders.pitcher)
     self.state.ball.heldBy = nil
-    self.state.catcherThrownBall = false
+    self.state.pitchIsOver = false
     self.state.offenseState = C.Offense.batting
 
     local current = Pitches[pitchTypeIndex](self.state.ball)
@@ -370,8 +372,14 @@ function Game:strikeOut()
     self:nextBatter()
 end
 
+local SwingBackDeg <const> = 30
+local SwingForwardDeg <const> = 170
+
 ---@param batDeg number
 function Game:updateBatting(batDeg, batSpeed)
+    if not self.state.pitchIsOver and batDeg > SwingBackDeg and batDeg < SwingForwardDeg then
+        self.state.didSwing = true
+    end
     local batAngle = math.rad(batDeg)
     -- TODO: animate bat-flip or something
     self.state.batBase.x = self.baserunning.batter and (self.baserunning.batter.x + C.BatterHandPos.x) or 0
@@ -480,8 +488,8 @@ function Game:updateGameState()
             self.state.secondsSincePitchAllowed = self.state.secondsSincePitchAllowed + self.state.deltaSeconds
         end
 
-        if self.state.secondsSincePitchAllowed > C.ReturnToPitcherAfterSeconds and not self.state.catcherThrownBall then
-            local outcome = pitchTracker:updatePitchCounts()
+        if self.state.secondsSincePitchAllowed > C.ReturnToPitcherAfterSeconds and not self.state.pitchIsOver then
+            local outcome = pitchTracker:updatePitchCounts(self.state.didSwing)
             local currentPitchingStats = self:fieldingTeamCurrentInning().pitching
             if outcome == PitchOutcomes.Strike or outcome == PitchOutcomes.StrikeOut then
                 currentPitchingStats.strikes = currentPitchingStats.strikes + 1
@@ -496,7 +504,8 @@ function Game:updateGameState()
             end
             -- Catcher has the ball. Throw it back to the pitcher
             self.state.ball:launch(C.PitchStartX, C.PitchStartY, playdate.easingFunctions.linear, nil, true)
-            self.state.catcherThrownBall = true
+            self.state.pitchIsOver = true
+            self.state.didSwing = false
         end
 
         local batSpeed
@@ -505,7 +514,7 @@ function Game:updateGameState()
             batSpeed = crankLimited
         else
             self.state.batAngleDeg =
-                self.npc:updateBatAngle(self.state.ball, self.state.catcherThrownBall, self.state.deltaSeconds)
+                self.npc:updateBatAngle(self.state.ball, self.state.pitchIsOver, self.state.deltaSeconds)
             batSpeed = self.npc:batSpeed() * self.state.deltaSeconds
         end
 
@@ -521,7 +530,7 @@ function Game:updateGameState()
                     self:userPitch(throwFly)
                 end
             else
-                self:pitch(C.PitchFlyMs / self.npc:pitchSpeed(), math.random(#Pitches))
+                self:pitch(C.PitchFlyMs / self.npc:pitchSpeed(), 2)
             end
         end
     elseif self.state.offenseState == C.Offense.running then
diff --git a/src/npc.lua b/src/npc.lua
index e5148e6..b211035 100644
--- a/src/npc.lua
+++ b/src/npc.lua
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ function Npc.new(runners, fielders)
 end
 
 ---@param ball XyPair
----@param catcherThrownBall boolean
+---@param pitchIsOver boolean
 ---@param deltaSec number
 ---@return number
 -- luacheck: no unused
-function Npc:updateBatAngle(ball, catcherThrownBall, deltaSec)
-    if not catcherThrownBall and ball.y > 200 and ball.y < 230 and (ball.x < C.Center.x + 15) then
+function Npc:updateBatAngle(ball, pitchIsOver, deltaSec)
+    if not pitchIsOver and ball.y > 200 and ball.y < 230 and (ball.x < C.Center.x + 15) then
         npcBatDeg = npcBatDeg + (deltaSec * npcBatSpeed)
     else
         npcBatSpeed = (1 + math.random()) * BaseNpcBatSpeed
diff --git a/src/utils.lua b/src/utils.lua
index f010ce0..3932358 100644
--- a/src/utils.lua
+++ b/src/utils.lua
@@ -265,12 +265,13 @@ pitchTracker = {
         self.balls = 0
     end,
 
-    updatePitchCounts = function(self)
+    ---@param didSwing boolean
+    updatePitchCounts = function(self, didSwing)
         if not self.recordedPitchX then
             return
         end
 
-        if self.recordedPitchX > C.StrikeZoneStartX and self.recordedPitchX < C.StrikeZoneEndX then
+        if didSwing or self.recordedPitchX > C.StrikeZoneStartX and self.recordedPitchX < C.StrikeZoneEndX then
             self.strikes = self.strikes + 1
             if self.strikes >= 3 then
                 self:reset()