Manila repels Florida, bows out of W Series

MANILA, Philippines - Team Manila, representing Asia Pacific, stormed past USA Southeast champ Cape Coral, Florida, 20-5, to close out its group assignment in the Big League Softball World Series at a packed Layton Field in Sussex County, Delaware, USA Thursday.

Rebounding from back-to-back losses to squads from Delaware, the Manila belles raced ahead to 12-1 in the first three innings to set the tone for the five-inning rout.

The Pinay softbelles finished with a 2-2 card in Pool A, not enough to get one of two berths to the cross over semis.

“Sobrang sayang talaga (Tough luck). If only we were able to keep our composure and to limit our errors despite the bad calls, we surely will be in the cross-over semifinals and who knows then,” said Manila Little League Philippines President Rafael “Che” Borromeo.  

The team backed by Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Philippine Airlines, and International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) will play USA West (California District 51 All Stars) in a consolation game.

Team Manila went full throttle against Southeast, peppering their pitchers with 20 hits with Lorna Adorable taking charge with a four-for-four batting spiked by three RBIs and four runs.

Adorable blasted a two-run home run to spark a five-run spree in the second inning as Manila broke away to a 7-1 lead. Arianne Vallestero sent three runners in with a double in the third to pad the Manilenas’ margin to 12-1.

Another Philippine squad vying in the worlds, debuting Smokey Mountain, got sideswiped by Canada in five innings, 0-11, to finish Pool A action with 0-4.

Smokey Mountain, bannered by girls from families living in the vicinity of the dump site, will cap their maiden appearance in the consolation game against Host District 3, a winless squad in Pool B.

The Smokey Mountain bets fell into a spate of errors in the second, allowing the Canadians to seize a 5-0 cushion. Canada unloaded a six-run binge the next inning to put the game beyond reach.

Canada tagged SM with nine hits with Christine Bourassa going two-for-four and slamming four RBIs and two runs. Jenna Saulnier held Phl to one hit while striking out two.