defensive conference and runners

[jodibuck]

This happened in a high school playoff game using FED rules. With runners on second and third, catcher requests a time out to talk to her pitcher. Both runners leave their base and go to talk to their third base coach. Plate umpire, who also umpires NCAA, tells the coach the players may not leave the vicinity of their respective base to confer with the their coach, unless it is an official charged defensive conference. Is this correct? I feel she applied the NCAA rule to a NFHS game.