Well, talking FED, there are two Notes under rule 5-1-1i when dealing with this that, IMO, don't definitively answer your question. :D

" c. If a fielder has one foot in play and the other foot in the air, she legally may catch, field or throw the ball unless her entire foot contacts the ground in dead- ball territory, at which time the ball becomes dead, no play is allowed, and the penalty is applied.

" d. If a fielder contacts dead-ball territory with any part of the body except the foot, she is considered out of play. No play is allowed, and the penalty is applied. When the fielder completely leaves and then re-establishes herself within liveball territory (both feet in live-ball territory), a catch would be allowed."

So "c" says one foot in LBT, and one foot in the air is okay. But is that only okay if that foot in the air never touched DBT? Or is it also okay if it does touch DBT, and then is brought back over LBT in the air? Seems to me "c" only addresses what happens when the foot that is in the air never touched DBT to begin with.

And "d" says that in order for a fielder to re-establish herself in LBT, she needs to have both feet in LBT. But does that only apply when she completely left LBT initially? Your question involves only one foot leaving LBT and touching DBT, not both feet.

Bottom line: I'm not sure. :confused:

If one foot is in the air, then a catch (legal), then the foot in the air comes down in DBT, the player is in DBT and the ball becomes dead. Runner(s) (if any) would be advanced a base on the catch and carry rule.

If the player overruns the play and enters DBT (one or both feet), she can re-establish by getting both feet on the ground in LBT. If she then makes a catch, it would be legal. Assuming she somehow didn't find her way BACK to DBT, she could also throw the ball legally.

the recent posting of USA/NCAA/NFHS differences indicates that FED requires "retouching" in live area to reestablish. USA/NCAA does not.

A fly ball out over the tarp would require reaching out, one hand on the tarp. A foot on the tarp in this situation would be impossible to lift up before the catch.

A can o' corn catch near the tarp is more easily handled by steadying yourself with a foot on the tarp, lifting off before the catch. Reaching down with your hand could mess you up (that tarp is not very high).

USA/NCAA rules seem to allow for that. FED, explicitly not.