HEMET, CALIFORNIA—Team Manila–Philippines needed only five innings as it blanked host East Hemet, 8-0, to serve notice that it means business in the 2017 PONY International 18-Under Girls Softball World Series at the jam-packed Diamond Valley Park inside the 36–acre Valley–Wide Recreation District here.
Standout pitcher Alma Tauli delivered a sterling performance with a total of eight strike outs, including five no run innings and a couple of skillful defensive stops to lead the Manila Batters to their first win in this World Series.
With two outs, an RBI by 2nd baseman Mary Nicole Padasas paved the way for two runs courtesy of right fielder Jojielyn Lim and short stop Angelu Gabriel, which jump-started the Big City softbelles’ scoring spree at the bottom of the third inning.
Four more runs by center fielder Christine Bautista, designated player Shaina Camacho, left fielder Khrisha Cantor, and third pitcher Shirlette Maygay gave Team Manila, whose trip here is backed by Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, the International Container Terminal Services, Inc., and the Adamson Alumni Association of Southern California, led by Lilli Khan and Lucy Sakamoto, a commanding 6–0 lead at the end of the third.
At the top of the fourth inning, Tauli, the 16-year-old native of Norzagaray, Bulacan and daughter of a retired security guard and a housekeeper, capped her dazzling performance with three more strike outs that had the Californians winded and awed.
Two runs at the bottom of the fourth, courtesy of Padasas off a hit by Bautista and then Bautista off a catching error gave Manila an 8 – 0 lead at the end of the fourth.
The East Hemet Screaming Eagles, one of two host teams, came back strong at the top of the fifth, but another impressive strike out by Tauli and two fine defensive stops by the Softbelles ended the game via fifth inning regulation.
“Focus lang tayo lalo na sa next three games natin at hindi dapat sobrang kumpiyansa dahil hindi naman sila magiging traveling teams dito sa US ng ganu’n lang, siyempre meron din ang mga ‘yan,” said head coach Anna Santiago.”
“I think they (East Hemet) played quite well, but the breaks of the game were on our side. They are also fast-developing and could still be a contender in the semi-finals,” said Manila Softball President Rafael “Che” Borromeo, who was obviously delighted with how the team played.
The Manila Batters, who only utilized winning pitcher Tauli throughout the game, will face Redlands South California, which lost to the Valley-Wide Heavy Hitters, today at 7 p.m. (Friday 10 a.m. Manila time).