Manila softbelles claim crown with Nueva Ecija a no-show

SAN PABLO CITY – Without flexing its bats and without sweating a bead, Manila officially ruled the 16-18 Big League girls softball when its opponent, Nueva Ecija, defaulted its match yesterday at the San Luis sports complex in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

It turned out that three key players suffered diarrhea after drinking water from the tap minutes after the Novo Ecijanas held early morning practice sessions prior to the 7:30 a.m. encounter.

"Pinapanood nga namin ang praktis nila nang bumalik ang coach at sinabing may LBM ang tatlo nilang players," said Manila LL chapter president Robert Evangelista. Manila thus finished the three-team, double round robin format with a four-win no-loss record, including two over arch-rival ILLAM which finished second in their group.

"Sayang, anti-climactic ang panalo pero okey na rin," chorused head coach Boy Codiñera, whose Golden Girls are now officially the country’s representatives to the Big League World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan in August this year.

Violence erupted Saturday night when two unidentified persons assaulted Makati Big League pitcher Justin Ellis Torio who got hit with an iron pipe on the head inside the central school grounds. He was immediately brought to the nearby hospital for prompt treatment. "Four stitches," reported LL official Chito Gonzales. Motive was not known.

Action in the premier 11-12 Little League boys baseball saw Cebu clinching its fifth straight win with a 7-0 blanking of Pampanga (3-2) in the eight-team Group A. Makati (4-1), also looking for its fifth consecutive win, was upset by Batangas (3-2), losing 9-5. Cebu is, however, facing an eligibility protest the result of which may likely change the scenario.