Manila, Smokey belles bow to US teams

MANILA, Philippines - Asia-Pacific representative Manila South bowed to host USA East, 3-10, to slip to an even 1-1 card in the Big League Softball World Series at Comiskey Park in Lower Sussex, Delaware Tuesday.

The Manila softbelles blew a 3-0 lead but gave up 10 runs in the last three innings, including a seven-run binge in the sixth that allowed the Delaware District 1 bets to romp off with the win.

Manila officials, however, rued what they felt were calls favoring the home team.

“Ang taas ng tawag sa atin ng strike lalo na sa mga malakas natin pumalo tapos panay ang palakad sa kalaban kaya din na alam ng pitcher natin kung paano pupukol (Umpire called strike on high pitchess, ruled a lot of walks, and our pitchers had difficulty adjusting),” said head coach Anna Santiago. 

“Di bale babawi tayo kaya natin yan may two games pa naman pero must win pareho para pumasok sa top 2 ng Pool A (We’ll bounce back and try to win our next two games to advance to the Top 2 in Pool A),” she added.

Over at Connie Mack Field, GK Smokey Mountain fell to USA Southeast’s Florida, 0-13, for their second straight loss in Pool A of the Senior League Softball World Series.

The Smokey Mountain girls, who are making their debut in the world meet, couldn’t get going against Florida’s Deanne Goodlunis, who held them to just four hits and allowed no earned runs, walked none and struck out two in a four-inning job.

Southeast tagged AsPac with 10 hits, led by Melinda Thirion who racked up three RBIs on two hits highlighted by a three-run homer in the sixth to lead the team to 2-1.

Team Manila, whose trip is backed by Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Philippine Airlines, and International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), actually jumped the gun on Delaware, scoring two in the first via Arianne Vallestero’s two run homer, and padding it to 3-0 with another run in the second.