Two baserunning questions

[parrothead]

Had a couple interesting ones this weekend....
USSSA Fastpitch softball 18U

* Runner at 2nd, groundball to SS, SS comes up, they really dont make contact, but are really close in proximity, the SS fields the ball and throws the batter out at 1B, however at the point they got close, umpire called "dead ball interference" he called the runner out and put the batter back to hit again with same count. I have seen plenty of intereference calls, but cant recall them having the player bat again.

* Runner at 3B, broke for home on contact play ground ball, kind of in almost run down out by so much catcher comes out a little to make tag so a slide where the catcher was applying the tag would not have even reached home plate. The runner goes into catcher hard, knocking her down and dislodging the ball. Runner was called out and warned. If its not a "slide" play, what should she have done? Just not make hard contact I guess.