Section 7: Violations & Penalties
Balk (Rule 6.02): An illegal act by the pitcher with one or more runners on base results in a balk; the ball is dead, and all runners advance one base.
Interference and obstruction (Rule 6.01): Offensive interference — such as a batter, runner, or teammate hindering a fielder's attempt to make a play — results in the runner or batter being called out and the ball becoming dead. Defensive obstruction, where a fielder impedes a runner's legal progress without possessing the ball to make a play, entitles the obstructed runner (and, in certain cases, other runners) to advance at least one base.
Illegal pitch or illegal substitution: A pitch delivered illegally with no runners on base is called a ball; use of a foreign substance on the ball, or an illegally re-entering player, subjects the offending player and, where specified, the manager to ejection.
Ejections and conduct violations (Rule 6.04–6.06): Unsportsmanlike conduct, arguing balls-and-strikes judgment calls, physical contact with an umpire, or use of an altered/tampered bat results in ejection of the offending player or team member and may include additional disciplinary action under WBSC tournament regulations.
Appeal plays: A defensive team may appeal a runner's failure to touch a base or leaving a base too early on a caught fly ball by properly executing the appeal before the next pitch, play, or the pitcher and all infielders leave fair territory; a successful appeal results in the runner being called out.