Flowers, Bustos, Osterman pace U.S. past Japan for WC title

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Cat Osterman retired Japan's top hitters with ease all night, then got the simplest out of all to wrap up the World Cup of Softball.

Another U.S. championship was sealed, and Osterman barely even stepped back into the pitching circle to get it.

Tairia Flowers homered, Crystl Bustos added a two-run double, and Osterman was all but unhittable as the United States beat Japan 3-0 in the tournament title game. But after Osterman had struck out 13 in a gem, the U.S. got the final out on a bizarre play with a Japanese runner illegally straying from first base.

"It was sort of sudden. It was very anticlimactic for us," Osterman said.

Runner Aki Uenishi was called out for failing to return to first base quickly enough when Osterman took the ball into the circle.

Umpire coordinator Julie Johnson said Uenishi violated the "look back" rule by making a stop off the base when Osterman entered the circle. Johnson said Uenishi had to either attempt to advance toward second or immediately return to first.

Cat Osterman shuts down Japan in the title game, earning a high-five from Jennie Finch. (AP)

"She seemed to tag up, and the rule is that once the ball's in the circle, the runner has to make a decision -- go one way or another -- and she was just kind of hanging out off the base. The umpire saw that," said Flowers, the U.S. first baseman.

"You hate for the game to end that way because it's such an exciting game."

Uenishi remained on the base for several moments while Japanese coach Haruka Saito sought an explanation from umpires. U.S. players lined up and waited near home plate to shake hands with the Japanese players.

Flowers said American players joked that they should go back and play for the last out.

Through interpretation by the team's trainer, Saito said she thought the umpire's judgment may have been correct but it was a "tough call" for her team in that situation.

Saito said she'd have to see the video replay to evaluate the call because she was watching the next batter approach and didn't see whether Uenishi was off first. Saito said she didn't remember being involved in a game that ended on such a call, and certainly not a championship game.

That play overshadowed a brilliant performance by the U.S. against its top rival in international softball. Japan had handed the U.S. its last four losses, including one in the 2005 World Cup championship, and the U.S. needed its best effort to push runs across and keep Japan off the board.