Slide Rule

NCAA FORCE-PLAY-SLIDE RULE (NCAA Rule 8, Section 4):

The force-play-slide rule intends to ensure the safety of all players. This is a safety and an interference rule. Whether the defense could have completed the double play has no bearing on the applicability of this rule. This rule pertains to a force-play situation at any base, regardless of the number of outs.
a. On any force play, the runner must slide on the ground before the base and in a direct line between the two bases.

It is permissible for the slider’s momentum to carry him through the base in the baseline extended.
Exception – A runner need not slide directly into a base as long as the runner slides or runs in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the fielder’s play. Interference shall not be called.

“On the ground” means either a head-first slide or a slide with one leg and buttock on the ground before the base.

“Directly into a base” means the runner’s entire body (feet, legs, trunk, and arms) must stay straight between the bases.

Contact with a fielder is legal, and interference shall not be called if the runner makes a legal slide directly to the base and in the baseline extended.