Iloilo belles rip unbeaten USA East, gain semis

MANILA, Philippines - Asia-Pacific representative Iloilo Province stunned erstwhile unbeaten USA East, 12-11, to advance to the semifinals of the Junior League Softball World Series Thursday at Everest Park in Kirkland, Washington (early yesterday in Manila).

Iloilo, the fourth-ranked quarterfinal qualifier from Pool A with a 1-3 win-loss card, seized a five-run lead against the Pool B topnotcher from West Cumberland, New Jersey and held on to score the moral-boosting triumph.

The Ilonggo softbelles of coach Rey Fuentes arranged a faceoff with Host District’s Kirkland National, a 10-0 winner over Europe and Africa, in a dispute for a finals berth Friday afternoon (early today in Manila).

Revenge is also on Iloilo’s minds as home team Kirkland had previously routed the Aspac champs, 10-0, in Pool A elims.

The other semis pairing pits Southeast against Central. Southeast’s Tampa beat Southwest’s Columbus, 11-6, while Central’s Canfield defeated the Latin America team from Mexicali BC, Mexico, 7-2.

Iloilo gained control against West Cumberland as early as the fourth frame, where they took 10-5 cushion.

The Phl softbelles pounced on four successive base-on-balls to put Dezza Barredo to the plate after which Sherami Mendador batted in Pearly Lorca on a single, then Georgie Adorador reached home on a throw and Mendador herself scored off a wild pitch.

West Cumberland managed to close in at 10-7 but Iloilo countered with a two-run salvo in the top of the sixth, courtesy of Flora Satore’s run off a passed ball and Beverlyn Velasco’s sacrifice fly, to maintain a 12-7 upperhand.

The Ilonggas gave up three runs in the bottom sixth and staved off the Americans’ final stand in the seventh, allowing just one run for West Cumberland, to secure the win.

Iloilo Province is the last team from Phl standing in the World Series after four other entries in different fronts packed their bags after the pool elims.

The International Little League Association of Manila (ILLAM) became the latest casualty as it finished Pool B of the Senior League Baseball World Series in Bangor, Maine with a 1-3 card, fourth in the bracket.

ILLAM yielded a 1-2 setback to USA Southeast rep Martinez, Ga, its loss sealed by two hits in the bottom seventh that led to courtesy runner Luke Wiles’ game-winning run.

The squad from Makati joined dethroned Big League softball titlists Manila South, Little League Softball entry Iloilo Province, and Senior League Softball bet Laguna to the exits.