Kaitlin Uses a Bat to Hit a Thrown Baseball

Kaitlin uses a bat to hit a thrown baseball. She knocks the ball back in the direction from which it came in an inelastic collision. The bat, which is heavier than the baseball, continues to move in the same direction after the hit as Kaitlin "follows through." Is the ball moving faster before or after it was hit?

A) The ball was moving faster before it was hit.
B) The ball was moving faster after it was hit.
C) The ball was moving at essentially the same speed before and after the hit.
D) There is insufficient information to answer this problem.