Hemet, California—Team Manila–Philippines extended its reign as it beat 2016 World Series Champion and 2017 runner-up Central Hemet Xplosion, 5-1, to win the 2018 PONY World Series 18-U Girls Softball Championship crown, the first-ever back-to-back title by the Philippines and by an Asian country, at the packed out Diamond Valley Park in the Valley-Wide Recreation District here.
Ace pitcher Alma Tauli, the 17-year-old hurler from Norzagaray. Bulacan and daughter of a retired security guard and a housekeeper, pummeled the host city team and capped her dazzling performance with eight strike outs, five no-run innings and a couple of fine defensive stops that had the Californians winded and awed.
But earlier in the first semifinal match of a final four double-header, the Manila batters’ standout pitcher Glory Alonzo delivered another sizzling show with 11 strikeouts and five no-run innings, complemented by a homerun each by shortstop Angelu Gabriel and outfielder Alexandria Romero-Salas plus a brilliant two-run homerun play by Gabriel for a lopsided, 11-0 win over a game Riverside County Lady Laces, plus the right to face the Hemet Xplosion in the Championship match.
Later in the day in the finals, both the Big City Softbelles, whose trip here is backed by Mayor Joseph Estrada, the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and HMR Trading House, and the Hemet Xplosion, were neck-to-neck and scoreless until the top of the third inning where Gabriel and second baseman Mary Joy Maguad both started the assault with a run each off base hits by first baseman Cleofe Magsayo and Romero-Salas.
Khisha Cantor, the 18-year-old veteran from Adamson University and member of the Champion team to the 2017 PONY World Series, made a two base hit, stole third base and made a run off an RBI by catcher Aliza Pichon to put the score at 3–1 at the top of the fourth.
Then, Softbelles’ top hurler Tauli yielded a rare homerun to the Hemet Xplosion’s Hillary Smith at the bottom of the fourth inning, complemented by the Host City Team’s top pitcher Dianne Lopez, who shone with five strike outs and two no-run innings, to the delight of the huge hometown crowd.
But it was the cat-quick Maguad, the 18-year-old native of Candoni, Negros Occidental and veteran of the 2017 Junior World Championship and World Series, who sizzled with two stolen bases and a run off a catching error that silenced the host crowd at the top of the fifth at a score of 4-1.
The Hemet Xplosion came back strong at the bottom of the sixth with three base hits of their own and with bases full and loaded, Softbelles’ ace hurler Alma Tauli calmly responded and delivered a stinging blow to the Xplosion’s surge with a couple of strike outs and defensive stops to hose down a fiery comeback and close the game, 5-1, at regulation time.
“The girls deserve the win because we were able to keep our composure, execute our plan and limit our errors,” said head coach Ana Santiago.
Manila Softball President Rafael “Che” Borromeo said: “We express our heartfelt thanks to the Filipino community in Hemet and Cerritos for their support and hospitality, and specially to Mayor Joseph Estrada, other City Hall officials, and the ICTSI for their untiring support.”