Blu Girls blank Thais, reach Asian quarters

MANILA, Philippines - Mary Joy Lasquite pitched a seven-inning shutout game that gifted the Philippines a 3-0 triumph over Thailand and a seat in the quarterfinal round Saturday in the 10th Asian Women’s Softball Championship at the Ciaoguang grounds in Nantou, Taiwan.

Lasquite, 27, a former University of the East stalwart, immediately disarmed the Thais right in the opening frame by retiring the enemies’ side in 1-2-3 order en route to a two-hit performance complemented by her teammates’ six-hit binge off a pair of Thai hurlers.

The pretty 5-foot-5 right-hander, whose imposing figure on the mound was pleasant to the eyes of the predominantly pro-Filipino crowd, struck out seven in a no-relief job reminiscent of her brilliant stint in the UAAP, whose Lady Warriors she now coaches.

The victory, the Blu Girls’ third in five times up in Pool A of the seven-team elimination round, moved coach Ana Santiago’s chargers into the quarterfinal round regardless of the result of their round-ending date with defending and Olympic Games champion Japan, which they were scheduled to play late Sunday.

Like in their losses to South Korea and North Korea, the Blu Girls started quite tentatively, allowing the Thais to hold their own after three completed innings until rightfielder Jocel Aguilar started the ball rolling with a single at the top of the fourth frame.

Another base-hit by second basegirl Sherrylou Valenzuela advanced Aguilar to second were she broke the ice on an extra-base connection courtesy of first base girl Dione Macasu.

Valenzuela made it 2-0 when she scampered home on a wild pitch.

 Aguilar, who actually has regained her place in the Blu Girls’ lineup following a two-year hiatus, again shone in the sixth along with Valenzuela and Macasu. The stocky outfielder keyed-off the penultimate frame, took second on a sacrifice by Velenzuela, then crossed the plate on a single by Macasu.      

The Blu Girls, who are seeking one of the three slots at stake for the 2012 World Championship, ended up fourth after the single round elims and will be facing Singapore in another page-system semis that determines the two teams that will dispute the crown.

The Singaporeans, whom the Filipinas clobbered for the 2007 Southeast Asian Games plum, routed Indonesia, 10-5, ending up third in the lighter, six-team Pool B.  

Making up the Final Eight aside from the Philippines, funded here by the Philippine Sports Commission and supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, Pera Padala, Le Soleil de Boracay and Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions  in Pool A are the Japanese and the Koreas. Advancing in Pool B aside from Singapore are China, host Chinese Taipei and Indonesia.