>Touching base - I noticed that if a runner doesn't touch base before the base guard fielder catches the ball then he's out. However I've seen times when the fielder HAS caught the ball before but the runner's managed to slide in before being tagged. Now I think on those occasions the ball had touched earth before being caught.

There are actually quite a few ways to make an out. If a fielder catches the ball on the fly (before it bounces), the batter is out. End of story. The batter's position on the field doesn't matter.

However, if the ball touches the ground, the fielders can still make an out by getting the ball to the base before the runner. If the runner can backtrack, then the fielder has to tag the runner with the ball (or with the glove that's holding the ball) when he's not on the base.

But if the runner has nowhere else to go, then the fielder just has to touch the base while holding the ball. That's a force out.

Tamar