Team Manila belles advance to W Series finals

KALAMAZOO – Shortstop Queeny Sabobo spearheaded a home run spree as Team Manila, representing the Asia-Pacific district, nipped East (Pennsylvania), 11-6, to advance to the finals of the Big League Softball World Series.

Sabobo belted a pair of home runs while Kristine Joy Lacupa, Rizza Bernardino, and Michelle Lentija each blasted a four-bagger as power-hitting Team Manila (13 hits) closed out the elims with a 6-2 card.

The AsPac champs forged a championship showdown with topnotcher West (California), which swept its seven elims assignments with a 13-0 whitewash of Southwest Monday.

The finale will be played Thursday at 4 AM (Manila time), broadcast live via ESPN2 and via live online streaming at http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/source/espn3/sport/softball/league/big%20league%20softball/.

Up by only one run, Team Manila exploded with four runs off three hits at the top of the fourth to break away, 9-4.

Lentija, who an inning earlier scored a solo homer, whacked a double this time, driving in Krisna Paguican for a 6-4 lead. Sabobo picked up from here and slammed in a three-run homer as the Pinays widened their margin to five runs.

East sent runners to the plate twice in the fifth stanza to cut it to 9-6 but in the next frame, Sabobo once again shamed the Pennsylvanian pitcher by hitting a two-run HR for a five-run cushion.

“The championship has eluded us for quite some time but we dare to say it is much too close now. Team Manila will be coming out fighting for it. Mabuhay! PINOY PRIDE!” the team mentored by head coach Ana Maria Santiago and coach Sandy George Barredo Jr. said in a statement.

Manila Little League president and Councilor Che Borromeo extended the softbelles’ gratitude to their supporters, former President Joseph Estrada, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Congressman Amado Bagatsing, Philippine Sports Commission, PCSO, Megaworld, Martin Cojuangco, Pagcor and the Fil-Am Community in Kalamazaoo, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois.