Grounders are one of the basic types of live balls that are fielded in baseball and softball, but they shouldn't be mistaken as the easiest. The terrain of a baseball field isn't always even, and everything from uneven ground to variations in the length of grass can determine how a ball travels.
Keep Your Eyes on Target
It may seem like a no-brainer, but grounders can be deceptively hard, and many fielders--particularly young ones--take the fielding opportunity for granted and start looking ahead for where to throw before the ball is in their glove. This can lead to disaster if the ball slips under the glove or hits a clump of dirt and bounces into the air. Minimize the risk of this occurring by following the ball as it travels toward you and into your glove, keeping your eyes on it the entire way.
Move Toward Grounder
Rather than standing and waiting for the grounder to come to you, it is better if the fielder runs toward the ball and moves the glove toward the grounder in a scooping motion in order to properly field the ball. This does two things. First, the fielder will have closed the distance between themselves and their throwing target, which can prevent baserunners from advancing an extra base and could even lead to a tag out at a base. Second, the scooping motion will carry the glove and ball up to your upper body, further speeding up the catch-and-release.
Let Glove Hover
Younger fielders make the mistake of placing the glove and its netting flat on the ground for the grounder to roll into. At slow speeds this may be effective, but in order to field fast grounders you need to prepare your glove for unexpected movement. Plus, a fast-moving ground is likely bouncing off the ground, even if slightly so--rolling along the grass will quickly zap its velocity. Hold the glove about an inch off the ground. Tilt the glove at a steeper angle so that if the ball does take a slight unexpected bounce, the glove can block it.
Pay Attention to the Baserunners
A good fielder doesn't simply wait for when the ball travels his way. It is important to be aware of the game, including which bases are occupied by runners and how many outs there are in the inning. This can help you determine where your throw needs to go--for example, a force-out at home plate may save a run from being scored if there are less than two outs in the inning, but if there are two outs then an out at any base will end the inning and prevent the run from being scored.
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