Munti clouters succumb to Wilkes

MANILA, Philippines - After three successive victories, Asia-Pacific representatives Muntinlupa suffered a 1-16 defeat at the hands of Southeast’s Wilkes County, North Carolina to end pool play of the 2011 Little League Softball World Series at second place in Portland, Oregon Monday.

As No. 2 team in Pool B action, the Muntinlupa Little Leaguers is set for a duel with the Pool A topnotcher, Central’s Sterling, Illinois, in Wednesday’s semifinal round. 

Wilkes County, the undefeated Pool B leaders, will take on Southwest’s Waco, Texas in the other semifinal clash. 

The Southeast representatives blew their Asia-Pacific counterparts away in the final day of elims at the Alpenrose Stadium, scattering 15 hits and pounding on nine Phl errors to light up the scoreboard.

Wilkes touched off scoring with three error-aided runs in the first inning, stretching this to 8-0 with a four-hit, five-run outing in the fifth frame. Not letting up, Wilkes peppered the Filipinos with eight more runs off five hits and four Phl errors in the sixth.

Muntinlupa averted a shutout when Cindy Kerr Ferrer, who got into scoring position with a double to right, finally reached base off Dharlene Dolleton’s single to left at the bottom of the sixth.

Starter Emily Visnic carded the win for Wilkes, pitching a no-hitter and fanning our three batters in two innings. Muntinlupa’s Kevyn Lacson was the losing hurler, yielding 10 hits and eight runs in a four-inning starting stint.

Earlier, Muntinlupa started its campaign with an 18-8 win over Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) then defeated Oregon, 7-2, and East’s New City, New York, 4-3, before ramming into Wilkes.