ILLAM clouters cop three titles in SEAYBST tourney

The Philippines won three of the five age-group championships staked in the recent Southeast Asian Youth Baseball and Softball Tournament (SEAYBST) with the senior girls softball team (under-18) and major girls softball squad (under-15) of the International Little League Association of Manila (ILLAM) ruling their respective divisions in Bangkok, Thailand.

The major softball girls stamped their class over the hosts and fashioned out a convincing 18-5 rout over Bangkok in the championship match. Eleven-year old Inez Diaz, adjudged the league’s most outstanding pitcher, Pia Santos and Elise Mendoza led the team’s romp.

Other members of the squad were Tabby Abela, Tisha Aganon, Ivee Cojuangco, Isabel Gomez, Seiko Hashimoto, Cia Inigo, Yvette Recto, Sophie Silvestre, Marga Sison and Monica Yang. Team manager was Cecille Aganon while the coaches were Randy Dizer, Jolly Gomez and Ray Pagkaliwagan.

The senior girls, on the other hand, pulled off a thrilling 5-4 victory over Perth with Bada La’O, voted best pitcher of the series.

Caroline Ongpin pitched superbly for 6 2/3 innings for the win. Other outstanding players in the tournament were MVP Krissie Drilon and homerun queen Victoria Brias.

The other members were Gianna Banzon, Isabel Cang, Gretchen Gatan, Joanna Lim, Tiffanny Mathay, Alex Ong, Cara Sanvicente, Ina Yulo and Alex Zuluaga while Karin Hollnsteiner was team manager. Jessie Viray, Dizer and Pagkaliwagan were the men at the helm.

The major boys baseball team (13-14 yrs) also topped its division, giving Team Philippines three of five age-group championships.

The major boys crushed Bangkok, 12-2, in the finals.

Major sponsors for ILLAM-Manila were Philippine Airlines, United Laboratories, Phils., Directories Philippines Corp., Chikka Asia and Liwayway Marketing Corp.