For more more than 3 years (before the Covid season) I have been watching and coaching games at all levels and have seen the hitters catching up to the pitching at most levels. Better coaching, strength, conditioning and better equipment have enabled hitters to put a real charge into their hitting. Pitching at both the high school level and elite college level seems to be plateauing at close to the same speed as in previous years while the batting averages and power hitting are on the upswing. A good example (but not necessarily the norm) was last night's CWS game between Texas and Oklahoma. The Sooners scored 16 runs with 6 dingers to go with 10 other hits, all against elite D1 pitching. The pitching has been in the 64 to 67 mph for the majority of fastballs with occasionally some pitchers going up around 72 mph on occasion. This sort of pitching has hovered around the same speed while the hitters have figured out how to catch up to the majority of fastballs thrown in the 65-68 mph speed with the above mentioned changes in the qualities of hitting. Three or 4 years ago, there were not nearly as many home runs as in this past season or 2 at the high school level. Lakota West had 30 team home runs on May first with 2 players at 9 and 8 at that point in the season. I realize this is only 2 examples, but I believe a pattern is emerging that the long ball is starting to take hold at the high school and college levels. Even the younger underclassmen are getting into the act of hitting for the fences. Anybody else see this pattern or have other stats or comments?