Filipinas shut out Cubans to make history

MANILA, Philippines — With Philippine sports enjoying breakthroughs everywhere, the Phl women’s baseball team carved its own piece of history, blanking Cuba, 6-0, yesterday to nail its first-ever win in the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup.

The Filipinas made it happen at the ASPAC Secondary Stadium in Tainan, Taiwan behind a gem from starter Maria Christine Bautista, who yielded just two hits in 4 2/3 innings, and a four-run explosion in the fifth that turned a tight duel into a rout.

It was breakthrough in the truest sense for Team Philippines – making its debut in this world meet as a wildcard.

Bautista set the tone – tough, composed, unhittable for long stretches.

The starter gave up only two hits and kept Cuba scoreless to give the Filipinas the platform they needed.

And they delivered with a big fifth.

Martine Dominique Francisco broke the ice with a sharp single to left, scoring Richelle Toledo who had reached on a fielder’s choice and swiped second.

Then the floodgates opened.

Angel Bedano raced home on a double steal. Helga Campos followed on an RBI single by Madaelene Domauag. Domauag herself came around on a hit by Chastene Jover.

Jover wasn’t done. She stole second, took third on a throwing error, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Veronica Velasco.

Toledo then singled again and came home on Mae Langga’s single to make it 6-0 – more than enough in a rain-shortened, five-inning affair.

It was sweet redemption after a 3-0 loss to powerhouse Japan Tuesday in a tournament hampered by heavy rains that forced organizers to cut regulation from seven innings to five.

The Filipinas look to build on the milestone win as they take on Great Britain next.