RP nine repeats over Aussies for third

Team Philippines leaned on steady pitching and superb batting as it downed Australia, 7-1, yesterday to salvage third place in the fifth Pan Pacific Junior Baseball Championship at the Sto. Nino Baseball grounds in Marikina City.

With the third place finish, RP thus gained a berth to the South Asia Championship slated in October in Singapore along with finalists Japan and Singapore.

The Japanese capped their domination of the event by blanking the Singaporeans, 10-0, to cop the Pan Pacific Junior Baseball crown.

Warren Vispo, the youngest member of the team at 12, walked four batters, allowed two hits and a run, while striking out two in four solid innings.Closer Paolo Gerardo Mallari of Ateneo held his ground at the mound and fanned out four batters in two innings.

It more than complimented the Filipino’s offensive form with catcher Luke Bernardo belting two hits, including an RBI (runs batted-in), in three times at bat to power the Filipinos’ repeat win over the Aussies, whom they defeated, 5-3, in the elimination round.