USA vs Japan SPOILER!!!! Don't read if watching later

[Tucson]

I hate tie breakers. That was a good game up until that point.

Give me a good old 21 inning game anytime. Now, that is fun.

By the way, does anyone know how fast Bustros gets down to first? I am amazed how fast she looks, like less than 3.0 maybe.

[DonnieS]

>> I hate tie breakers. <<

Not me - I love them, I think that is the most exciting softball there is, but I like the ASA itb the most. There are some variations on the ASA version, but we work on and practice the ASA ITB situations both defense and offense.

[KT93]

What a great game to watch live on TV even at 3am & in spite of HORRIBLE announcing, if I hear another Rise Ball called a high heater im gonna climb into the TV...

Does anyone else find it strange that Ueno pitched to Busto (for a 3rd time) with 1B open... I saw it coming a mile away... Think I woke up my family screaming my head off when she jacked it 250'... She is an amazing hitter & just goes to show, if you play with fire enough ya gonna get burnt... eventually...

Not sure who was calling pitches, the catcher or the coach but a golden rule we live by & tell our catcher when calling a game is... NEVER let one player beat you... I know any player on the USA team was capable of hitting the long ball at any time (except for maybe Flowers) but dang what were they thinking throwing to Bustos at that point in the game???? But I am sure glad they did !!!

[Sam]

What a great game to watch live on TV even at 3am & in spite of HORRIBLE announcing, if I hear another Rise Ball called a high heater im gonna climb into the TV...

Does anyone else find it strange that Ueno pitched to Busto (for a 3rd time) with 1B open... I saw it coming a mile away... Think I woke up my family screaming my head off when she jacked it 250'... She is an amazing hitter & just goes to show, if you play with fire enough ya gonna get burnt... eventually...

Not sure who was calling pitches, the catcher or the coach but a golden rule we live by & tell our catcher when calling a game is... NEVER let one player beat you... I know any player on the USA team was capable of hitting the long ball at any time (except for maybe Flowers) but dang what were they thinking throwing to Bustos at that point in the game???? But I am sure glad they did !!!

1B wasn't open. Lowe singled in Watley. Mendoza walked. Bustos homered. Had 1B been open, the Japanese would have walked Bustos to pitch to Kretschman, who had done nothing during the game. Up to that point in the game, Bustos was 0-3 with a K.

The game would have been over in the 8th inning had the USA manager actually tried managing the game instead of being a spectator in the 3B coach's box.

[rbi]

Sam quote-ITB in the 9th inning. Watley on 2B. Has Lowe hit away and she singles up the middle putting the USA in the lead....the HU missed Lowe stepping in front of the plate on the slap...she was clearly out. Mendoza walks, Bustos homers. Game over.

Having a DD that is a slapper, I do play close attn to the slappers feet and you are right Lowe was out in front of home plate, but I have seen it several times in these games, and have been told you will rarely see that call in international comp. I often wonder how the blue can see the pitch and see a hitters foot at contact, especially when it happens so fast and 9 times out of 10 no chalk to use as a guide.

[Sam]

Sam quote-ITB in the 9th inning. Watley on 2B. Has Lowe hit away and she singles up the middle putting the USA in the lead....the HU missed Lowe stepping in front of the plate on the slap...she was clearly out. Mendoza walks, Bustos homers. Game over.

Having a DD that is a slapper, I do play close attn to the slappers feet and you are right Lowe was out in front of home plate, but I have seen it several times in these games, and have been told you will rarely see that call in international comp. I often wonder how the blue can see the pitch and see a hitters foot at contact, especially when it happens so fast and 9 times out of 10 no chalk to use as a guide.

HU looking at a slapper stepping out of the FRONT of the box is almost impossible unless the pitch is a changeup.....the slapper stepping in front of HP is entirely different and easy for an umpire to see. It wouldn't be the first time umpires had conspired to ignore rules and allow players to cheat....I'm sure you watched Abbott and Osterman pitching.....

[KT93]

Sam... I stand corrected.
Sorry, it was 3am when I was watching the game & I could have swore 1B was open....