Illegal Player - USSSA Fastpitch Rules

[kfrisbee]

I was told something at a tournament last weekend that I think conflicts with the rules.

13U girls fastpitch, Illegal Player: E8 was replaced while on offense and when team took the field defensively the original player took the field. PU was not notified of the change. First pitch was delivered making E8 an illegal player. Defensive Coach caught the error and illegal player was replaced immediately.

The rulebook states: "The use of an illegal player is handled as a protest that can be made at any time, while the player is in the game. A player will not violate the illegal player provision until he/she enters the game and one (1) pitch is thrown. Any action before one pitch is thrown is
correctable."

I was told after the game that if we would have won the game, the other coach would have protested the game and we would have forfeited.

Since the rule states that the protest would have had to be during the time that the illegal player was in the game, a protest after the correction was made would not make a difference in the outcome of the game should we have won.

Am I correct?

All comments are appreciated!