Page 376 - Revised Unified Sports Curriculum electronic version Rev. 8.1_2

SOFTBALL

SPORT RULES

A runner being forced out (including on an appeal play) due to the batter becoming
a batter-runner.
The runner fails to keep contact with the base to which he is entitled until a pitch is
batted or reached home plate.
A preceding runner being declared out.
Additional out appeals may be made after the third out to remove a run(s).
Charged Conferences
Offensive Conferences.
There shall only be one charged offensive conference in an inning.
Note:
This includes the batter, runner, on-deck batter and the coaches among
themselves.
It is not a charged conference when a pitcher is putting on a warm-up jacket while
on base, or if the offense confers while the defensive team is in conference,
provided the offense is ready to play when the defense is ready.
Umpires should not permit any such conferences in excess of one per inning
Effect: A second charged conference shall result in the removal of the coach insisting on
another charged conference.
Defensive Conferences. There shall only be three charged defensive conferences in a seven-
inning game. For every inning beyond seven or after the time limit has expired, there shall
be one charged conference per inning.
Note:
A conference includes players in the field leaving their position and going to the
dugout for instructions, regardless of whether ‘Time’ has been requested or not.
Should a coach/manager notify a change of pitchers to the plate umpire, either
before or after crossing the foul line, it is not a charged conference.
The conference is over when the manager/coach crosses the foul line returning to
the dugout.
Conferences are accumulative and do not start over with a new pitcher entered
into the game.
If all three conferences are not used in the first seven innings, they are lost and a
team must then follow the one per extra inning rule.
It is not a charged conference for the defense if:
They confer during a charged offensive conference, provided they are
ready to play when the offense is ready.
They shout instructions from the dugout.
A manager playing in the game confers with any defensive player,
however an umpire may control meetings between a playing manager
and a pitcher by first issuing a warning and then ejecting the playing
manager.
Effect: The fourth, and each additional charged conference in a seven-inning game, or for any
charged conference in excess of one per inning in an extra inning game, shall result in the
pitcher, who is the listed pitcher at the time of the excess conference, being declared an
Illegal Pitcher who may not pitch again for the remainder of the game. NOTE: A declared
Illegal Pitcher can play another position on defense but cannot pitch again.

21 VERSION: June 2018
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