Blu Girls not coming home empty-handed  

MANILA, Philippines —  The Philippine Blu Girls missed a podium finish in the Women’s Softball Asia Cup in Incheon, South Korea yesterday but clinched a World Cup berth in the end.

Bringing everything on the table, the Filipinas made the world No. 3 Taiwanese skittish early but couldn’t find a way to preserve the mighty start and fell, 10-5, to settle for a fourth-place finish.

But while a bronze medal would have been icing on the cake, the Filipinos would go home victorious as they accomplished what they initially set out for – snare a spot to the 18th WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup in July in Europe.

“We couldn’t be prouder of your achievement,” said Philippine softball chief Jean Henri Lhuillier, whose Cebuana Lhuillier company had bankrolled the successful trip. “I’m optimistic to see what the future holds for Philippine softball.”

The Blu Girls didn’t hold back early on when they unloaded a four-run rampage that was lit by an Alaiza Talisik single to short stop. It sent Angelu Gabriel, who came on third base via a single to shortstop herself, a sacrificial hit by Mary Maguad and a wild pitch by Ke Hsai-Ai, safely home on top of the first inning.

With two outs and one on base, the Taiwanese launched a three-run barrage capped by a Shen Chia-Wen RBI (runs batted in) on a single to center field in the bottom of the opening inning that trimmed their deficit to just 4-3.

A Ma. Charlotte Sales run off a Mary Maguad sacrificial fly on top of the second frame made it a 5-3 lead by Blu Girls.

It proved to be their last hurrah as Tu Ya-Ting held the Filipinas run-less and with just two hits with her magnificent pitching while Chinese Taipei’s batters went on unstoppable blitz that was sparked by a three-run bomb in the bottom third.