Blu Girls blanked by Japanese for second straight loss

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Blu Girls got suffocated by the Japanese’s pitching brilliance and absorbed a numbing 4-0 defeat, the former’s second straight in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup group stage in Lima, Peru Thursday.

Sakura Miwa and Mio Sakamoto alternated at the rubber and allowed the Cebuana Lhuillier-bankrolled Filipinas just a hit as the World No. 1 and reigning champion pulled off a shutout and its third win in row to zoom to the top.

It sent the Philippines to its second defeat after succumbing to Venezuela in an 8-5 heartbreaker the day before.

If there’s a silver lining, the Blu Girls held Japan to its lowest total runs in a match after blasting the Brit, 9-1, Wednesday and blanking the Peruvians, 9-0, hours in the second of their double-header Thursday.

"We always knew our path in this tournament would be challenging, especially against a team of Japan's caliber," said ASAPHIL chief Jean Henri Lhuillier. "What encourages me is the heart and composure our Blu Girls continue to show, particularly the way they settled down defensively after the early innings.”

“This team has never backed down in the face of adversity, and I believe they will use these experiences to come back stronger. Our focus now shifts to Puerto Rico, and I know our players will be ready to compete with everything they have," he added.

Although winless, the Nationals remained in contention for a spot in the bracket play if they could sweep all their last three outings — against Puerto Rico and Great Britain Friday and Peru on Saturday in this meet, where the top two advance to the World Cup finals next year in Queensland, Australia.

It was a stark contrast with Filipina starting pitcher April Mae Minanga, who was pounded early by the Japanese with five hits and that backbreaking four runs in just 1 and 1/3 innings.

Saori Yamuchi belted a double straight to right centerfield that drove in Kyoko Ishikawa and Mayu Okawa home in the opening inning while Ayane Nakagawa doubled to left center and Ishikawa singled to center to bat in a run each early in the second frame to give Japan that 4-0 edge early.

Relief pitcher Mary Joy Alpitche did a better job holding off the Japanese batters and conceded just three hits and not a single run in 5 and 1/3 innings.

But it came too little, too late.