Blu Girls struck out in Nanjing

NANJING, China — Team Philippines dropped a pair of close games as it bowed out of the playoff picture in the seventh Junior Women’s World Softball Championship at the Nanjing University of Technology here.

After scoring a 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic, the Blu Girls faltered to Australia in a 4-1 loss Thursday afternoon and then turned cold against New Zealand Friday in a pulsating 1-0 defeat that eliminated RP from Saturday’s playoffs.

Jorja Bell’s grounder to right field sent Brooke Lockhart home to score the marginal run that sent the Kiwis to the next round, possibly against Russia or Canada of Group B.

It was a sorry setback for the Filipinas as they could not come up with the same solid offense that got them two runs against the Czechs Thursday morning.

"Sayang maganda sana ang depensa kaya lang ‘yung mga tama natin natatapat," said RP coach Roberto Ituralde after watching his team fall to its fourth defeat against two wins.

But despite the loss, the Blu Girls have nothing to be ashamed of as their two triumphs surpassed the country’s showing in its first stints in this quadrennial meet for women aged 19 years old and below.

RP dropped all its 11 games to place dead last in the 1991 edition in Adelaide, Australia, won once in 13 outings four years later in Normal, Illinois before skipping the 1999 staging in Chinese Taipei.

"We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of, I’m so proud of these girls for giving it their best despite being together for less than two months," said Manila Congressman Harry Angping (Third District), head of the RP delegation.

Hurler Geda Valencia appeared in control in the first four and a half innings before getting hit by a double to right field by Sophie McGilvray, scoring three runs that broke a 1-1 deadlock.

RP had a chance to score a run early at the bottom of the first inning but could not capitalize on it.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Joy Lanting’s hit a fly ball straight into Rachel Warren’s glove that seemed to be an indication of things to come for the hard- luck Filipinas, who finished the game without a single hit.