USA vs Japan
 

Boy, did BU just kick a call at 2B

WOW, was that a generous 3rd strike on the USA batter?

Flowers, Watley, and Lowe, smells like a run. :)

Mike,

Was that an illegal pitch on Lowe? Looked like the Japan gal went to roisn
bag, did not wipe, then spit in her hand.

In a 0-0 game in the top of the sixth, why arent they sac bunting watley to get the runner in scoring position? And looked to me like lowe got a pretty generous call, not sure it got her hands, and she went a long way around on it anyway.

Not sure, my screen saver kicked in right then. However, this pitcher did that all last year during the World Cup of Softball

Not 100% sure, but I believe this pitcher was left home last year during the world cup. Japan did not want the US to see her.

PU got a little carried away on that 2nd strike. Went in a 3rd strike mode.

Been there, done that. :D

PU just sold a 2nd strike. Caught Nuevy off guard. Batter said, "but blue, that's only the 2nd strike". To which the umpire responded, "yes, but it was a damn good 2nd strike"

USA may be in trouble. Just don't look comfortable at the plate.

Wiggle that mouse now and then. :D

I agree if the call was for a hit batter. I would have said illegal pitch watching
the Japan gal go to rosin then appeared to spit in hand.

Now would not be a good time for an illegal pitch.

I have seen several times where the japan pitcher appeared to never wipe her hand after going from rosin bag to mouth to ball and I just started watching in the 5th.

Use of the rosin bag does not require a wipe in ISF nor ASA; only NCAA specifically requires you to wipe off the drying agent (you put on to dry the hand) onto what is probably wet.

Now, spit is another thing; it is clear you must wipe after going to the mouth (and spitting into the hand has to be considered the same).

Going for help on a check on a called strike?

I think he wanted catcher's obstruction.

Look at the back of her RED shorts. NO White, and she is using rosin pretty
regularly.

WOW luck of the draw with Watley on 2B in that situation.

Boy, can she run or what?

Bustos 3 run HR!

Wow, what a shot by Bustos

I wonder if Bustos has an endorsement contract for that Sprite she is drinking... ;)

Thanks steve.

At times it looks like she might be spitting, others you can see she is blowing
cause dust flies.

Is it me, or are the letters on the hat just a bit too large?

Osterman to clean up

With Abbot getting the start here, and Osterman in relief, I guess that means Finch starts the gold medal game.... 'cause it will be Japan, again.

Sure looked like CO to me - both batter's reaction and catcher's reaction.

On TV you could see on reply it was obviously CO.. That call was kicked.

So.. is the ISF rule about ITB different than ASA? Michelle smith said last out over and over and over....

:eek: :D :D :D

If you watch on the web you don't have the "advantage" of the expert commentary...

No, they are the same. Michelle Smith may be able to play softball, but when it comes to rules knowledge, she is ignorant.

without exageration, she said it about 20 times.

There is no difference in the rule or application. However, ISF uses the "Tie-Breaker" rule, often called the ITB, because they govern international play. ASA uses the "Tie-Breaker Rule", which, to be completely accurate, is the ASA Tie-Breaker Rule. Most people call all tiebreaker rules ITB (all facial tissues are kleenex, etc.), but, only the ISF rule is technically the ITB.

The ISF rule is:
Sec. 6. TIE-BREAKER.
Starting with the top of the eighth inning, and each half inning thereafter, the offensive team shall begin its turn at bat with the player who is scheduled to bat ninth (9th in FP), tenth (10th in SP, 11th in SP with an EP, or 12th in Co-ed SP with EP’s) in that respective half-inning being placed on second base. The player who is running can be substituted in accordance with the substitution rules.

While quoting ISF rules, I went ahead and copied the foreign substance rule. Just like everyone OTHER than NCAA (well ASA and NFHS), it only says to wipe after going to the mouth.

Sec. 5. FOREIGN SUBSTANCE.
a. No member of the defensive team shall, at any time during the game, be permitted to use any foreign substance on the ball. A pitcher who licks his fingers must wipe off his fingers before making contact with the ball.
NOTE: If any defensive team member continues to place a foreign substance on the ball, the pitcher shall be ejected from the game.
b. Applying resin to the ball, or into the glove and then placing the ball in the glove, is an illegal act. Resin must be kept on the ground behind the pitcher’s plate when not in use.
c. Under the supervision and control of the umpire, powdered resin may be used to dry the hands.

Not if it's diet sprite! ;)

well as long as the rule is the same, i'm not into semantic word games some umpires love. Thats like sniveling when someone calls an indicator a clicker.

If you went to parochial school, you would understand.