There are many situations which require a suspension of play during a college softball game. A separate article in the Game Management Corner/General/Managing the game section, entitled Normal Suspensions of Play game situations, covers most of these. This article will focus on charged conferences.
The best way to better understand the difference between meetings during the game and charged conferences is to give some examples of what should be considered meetings versus charged conferences. Here are some examples of meetings:
• An outfielder is retrieving a foul ball down the line so the catcher or any infielder goes to the pitcher to quickly say something
• A foul ball off the umpire or player results in either the umpire or the catcher going out to the pitcher to allow some time for the person to recover.
• After warmup pitches players gather on the mound and they ready to play before 90 seconds has expired and there is no delay of the game.
• Following a home run the players gather at the mound as long as it does not result in a delay of the game; when the runner crosses home, the defense needs to be ready be ready to play.
• The pitcher throws the first two (2) pitches to a batter that are called balls. As the ball is returned to the pitcher, an infielder quickly runs to the circle, quickly slaps gloves with the pitcher giving her brief words of encouragement and then immediately returns to her position. This is not a charged player-to-player conference; the plate umpire should use good judgment in enforcing the time allowed between pitches.
• A player is injured and the game is delayed so the trainer can evaluate the situation. Be aware that if a coach does the evaluation or joins the trainer, stop the coach immediately and tell him/her that if he/she continues, a charged conference will be issued.
Note: any of the above meetings might evolve into a charged conference if they end up delaying the game
Charged Conferences
A charged conference is a special type of meeting which encompasses more regulations and more umpire’s attention than the other forms of meetings which occur in a college softball game. For all charged conferences, the plate umpire shall notify the head coach and record the inning.
Umpires must use the proper term “charged conference” when dealing with coaches and players. A charged conference is a delay in the game for which the umpire grants a team representatives or team representatives and players to confer. This is important as both the rule book and the CCA manual go to lengths to discuss the rules and management of charged conferences. This includes all the things which can and cannot be done during the charged conference.
Charged or uncharged conference?
Note: For managing conferences, read the companion article Conference Management in Game Management Corner/General/Managing the game.
Defensive Conference
Begins and Ends
The defensive charged conference begins when a defensive team representative:
o Delays the game or requests a suspension of play
o Does this for any reason and delivers a message (by any means) to a defensive player
o Crosses the foul line or consults with any players before telling the umpire of a pitching change
It also begins when a fielder
o Leaves her position and goes to the dugout AND…
o Gives the umpire reason to believe she has received instruction
The defensive conference ends
o When the team representative enters dead-ball territory
o It is NOT when the team representative crosses the foul line
o When the player returns to her position
Number per inning
Each team is allowed 7 charged team representative-to-player defensive conferences per regulation game with a maximum of 1 per half inning; an additional defensive conference is allowed for each pitching change if that pitcher has not already pitched in the half inning (which counts toward 1 of the 7 allowable conferences). Each team is allowed one charged team representative-to-player conference per half inning for each extra inning. Any remaining conferences from regulation do not carry over into extra innings. If more than the allowable conferences per inning are taken the team representative who initiates it is immediately ejected
Offensive Conference
Begins and Ends
The offensive charged conference begins when a team representative:
o Delays the game or requests a suspension of play
o Does this for any reason and delivers a message (by any means) to the offense (player or team representative)
The offensive conference ends when the team representative
o Returns to the coach’s box OR
o Enters dead-ball territory
Number per inning
Each team is allowed 7 charged team representative-to-player offensive conferences per regulation game with a maximum of 1 per half inning.
o If more than the allowable conferences per inning are taken the team representative who initiates it is immediately ejected
o If the second conference is charged because runners leave the vicinity of their bases when prohibited from doing so, the head coach is ejected
Player-to-player conferences
With the changes to the 2022-2023 rule book, player-to-player meetings has been upgraded to charged conferences. The purpose of these new rules is to improve the pace and flow of the game, as excessive player-to-player timeouts have been causing delays in games and disrupting the flow of the game. Current rules outlining when the offense and defense will not be charged for a conference, including Rule 6.12.2 regarding uncharged conferences while tending to an injury, will remain in place and will be clarified to include an injury to any game participant.
Each team will be allowed 7 charged player-to-player conferences per regulation game with a maximum of 2 per half inning. In addition, each team is allowed 1 charged player-to-player conference per half inning for each extra inning. Any remaining conferences from regulation do not carry over into extra innings. Base runners must not abandon the vicinity of their bases without it being a charged conference.
If more than the allowable conferences per inning are taken the player who initiates it is immediately ejected.
To summarize:
| Conference | DOCs | POCs |
|---|---|---|
| Max per game | 7 | 7 |
| Regulation innings Defense | 1 + SN* | 2 per half-inning |
| Regulation innings Offense | 1 | 2 per half-inning |
| Extra half-innings | 1 | 1 |
During Offensive and Defensive Conferences
If either team is charged with an offensive or defensive conference (these do not apply for player-to-player conferences)
o Both teams may hold uncharged conferences
o Base runners are not restricted to their bases
o Warm-ups between players already on the field can occur if done in a way that does not delay play except substitutes may not participate in on-field warm-ups and warm-up pitches are not allowed unless a request to an umpire is made and approved
It is not a conference and both teams may hold uncharged conferences with base runners not restricted to their bases when
o Team personnel must tend to an injured or sick player
o Umpires are administering an ejection
o Umpires are resolving a protest
o Teams may be charged if not ready to play after the umpire’s declaration to play
It is not a conference if either the defensive of offensive coach does not request a suspension of play and gives instructions to the players which does not delay the game.
During the administration of a substitution, or time granted for an equipment change
o Both teams may hold uncharged conferences
o Runners are restricted to their bases
o Exception – not restricted during a new pitcher’s warm-up pitches
o Teams may be charged if not ready to play after the umpire’s
| Situation | Teams | Runners |
|---|---|---|
| TR conference | Meetings OK | Released from bases |
| P-P conference | No meetings | Runners not released |
| Injury Ejection Protest | Meetings OK | Released from bases |
| Substitution | Meetings OK | Runners not released |
| Pitching change | Meetings OK | Released from bases |
Notes for table
• Meeting is an uncharged conference; team can choose to have a charged conference
• If meeting, must be ready to play after ump declares “play”
• Defensive conference ends when TR enter dead-ball area or players to positions.
• Offensive conference ends when TR to coach’s box or dead-ball area.
• Player to player conference ends when player(s) return to position
Interpretations and Clarifications
Play 1: The pitcher throws the first two (2) pitches to a batter that are called balls. The catcher or any infielder requests “time” to speak with the pitcher.
Ruling 1: Once “time” is granted by any umpire, this is a charged player-to-player conference.
Play 2: The pitcher throws several bad pitches in a row and a fielder approaches to calm her down without violating time between pitches.
Ruling 2: This is not a charged player-to-player conference; runners must stay within the vicinity of their base(s). However, if a player-to-player charged conference is granted, the offensive team may hold a conference, including base runners, who are no longer restricted to the vicinity of their base.
Play 3: A foul ball is hit off of the field. A coach intentionally delays getting new balls into the umpire to allow defensive players time to get together.
Ruling 3: This is a game management situation. Umpires need to have an awareness of what the intent is here. It can be handled by a simple conversation with the coach, including a warning that a conference will be charged if they do it again.
Play 4: The pitcher and catcher are struggling with getting on the same page with signals.
Ruling 4: If the catcher needs to go out to talk with the pitcher this will be a charged player-to-player conference.
Play 5: two or more defensive players meet to have a conference and a coach joins this conference.
Ruling 5: when the players get together and you see that a coach is getting ready to exit the dugout and come out to join the players this will be a team representative-to-player conference.
Play 6: players get together and there is no movement by a coach out of the dugout.
Ruling 6: this is a player-to-player conference. However, if the players have been meeting and eventually a coach joins the conference both a player-to-player and a team representative-to-player conference will be charged.
Examples Which Should Not Be Considered a Conference
• All of the current no huddle allowances (fielder gives ball to pitcher after an out and they slap gloves, spontaneous celebration of good play etc.).
• Batter is put out and on the way back to dugout stops to talk briefly with next batter about pitcher and there is no hold up.
• Pitcher throws several bad pitches in a row and fielder approaches to calm them down without violating time between pitches.
• Video review protocol requires the defensive team to maintain their position on the field but the reality is that there will be some degree of communication between fielders at close range.
NOTE: These limited examples are not all inclusive of what may constitute a conference. These are a few examples designed to reflect the spirit and intent of Rule 6.12. In general, umpires should ask themselves – is this meeting the reason why we are stopping the game? If the answer is yes, we have a charged conference. For an excessive player-to-player or team representative-to-player conference, the player or coach who initiated the conference is ejected.