Ground ball got you down? Bounce back with these tips on a strong feed to begin your next double play.

Delivering a strong feed to the base is necessary to start any successful double play. As a second baseman, there are two essential feeds to choose from: underhand and backhand. When you find yourself too far from your teammate to underhand flip, you should look to the backhand feed.

As with any ground ball, you should aim to close some ground if possible. During your approach, be sure to follow a left foot, right foot rhythm into your stance. “This puts us into good fielding position with our momentum working toward the bag,” former professional baseball player Steve Bernhardt says.

Once in the correct position, make sure to field the ball out in front of your body, keeping your head down as you track the ball in. When the ball is secure, make a clean, quick exchange to your bare hand.

Next, place the ball out in front of your chest and clear your glove from the shortstop’s line of vision. “With the thumb down and a stiff wrist, extend the arm while crossing over to deliver the feed to the shortstop,” Bernhardt says. “Crossing over” refers to taking your next step with your left foot in the bag’s direction upon releasing the ball.

Be sure to follow your momentum toward second base in order to deliver a firm, accurate feed to your teammate.

The backhand feed can be simple but does require some skill. Be sure to practice this method and become comfortable with turning two this way. Build some team momentum this season with a double dose of defensive success.

Twist up your double play training with these extra tips on the underhand feed from second base.