Tanauan, ILLAM eye title

MANILA, Philippines - Tanauan seeks revenge today when it faces International Little League Association of Manila (ILLAM) in the Big League baseball finals of the 2009 Philippine Series.

Tanauan absorbed a bitter 6-5 loss to ILLAM yesterday in a game that offered the first finals slot in the 16-18 division of the weeklong event that had drew 94 teams nationwide.

Tanauan advanced to the finals with a 13-1 victory over Camarines Norte yesterday at the Rizal Memorial ballpark. The finals will be played at 2:30 p.m. at the Luneta Park.

The ILLAM All-Stars also sent two other teams to the finals of the Big League softball after beating Rizal, 4-2, and Senior League (14-16) softball following an 11-2 win over Antipolo.

The ILLAM-All Stars are also vying in five other divisions, and are on track toward matching or surpassing their five-division romp three years ago.

Bacolod West, a perennial title contender, defeated Valenzuela, 4-0, and will face ILLAM for the Senior League softball crown. There will be finals matches today and tomorrow.

In other Big League softball matches yesterday at the Rizal Memorial track stadium, Sta. Cruz, Laguna stunned ILLAM, 2-1; Rizal edged Bacolod, 3-2, and Calookan survived Sta. Cruz, 5-2, in the latter’s doubleheader.    – Abac Cordero