No. 5 and counting: Manila continues hot winning streak
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 10 Aug 2010
KALAMAZOO, MI (via Pera Padala) -- Fighting heart and and brilliance was how best describe Team Manila's come-from-behind 6-4 victory over defending champion Kalamazoo Sunday that moved the Golden Girls to within one more win of enssuring a place in the championship playoff of the Big League girls softball World Series for the 16-18 division at the Lee Field of the Vanderberg Park here.
Trailed 2-0 after two and-a-half inning, the Golden Girls, runners-up here two years ago, bounced back at the bottom of the fourth frame in another display of fighting heart reminiscence of their recovering from a pair of early defeats to hacked out five straight triumph, including a merciless 13-1 annihilation of Canada earlier in the day.
Only West Monroe of Louisiana, the United States Southeast champion, stands on the way of the Filipinas of formally claiming the second finals slot and the right to face Michgan State's Grand Rapids, which led the field with a clean 7-0 slate, for the title that Kalamazoo stands to lose.
The Filipinas battle the Louisianans in the final day of the nine-team, one round eliminations Tuesday and a win will give the Philippines its second championship appearance in three years. The Golden Girls' predecessors of 2008 ended up runner of to Grand Rapids that year, breaking the monopoly of American teams in finals appearances.
The pride of Kalamazoo though had not relinquished the crown yet with that loss to the Filipinas. The host city clouters can still make it into the finals in the event Team Manila lost to West Monroe, who are heavy favorites to prevail over Antelope Valley of California also Tuesday.
If that situation happens, both Kalamazoo and West Monroe will end up tie for second place with identical 6-2 win-loss cards. The hosts get the second finals seat by virtue of their 10-3 victory over the same squad earlier in the qualifying round. Team Manila drops to 5-3.
"Sayang talaga yung dalawang talo. Kung napaaga sana nang dating and mga bata at hindi pagod at puyat noong maglaro, wala pa sana silang talo," Manila Little League Chrter president Robert Evangalista said after the game, drawing concurrence from head coach Boy Codinera.
Julie Marie Muyco claimed the victory over Kalamazoo, her fourth of Manila's five wins so far. Her streak that started after the Golden Girls vaulted back into contention was broken only by Melanie Macatangay, who earlier in the day presided over a 13-1 rout of Canada.
With one out in that decisive bottom of the third and no one seemed capable of breaking starting pitcher and Kristen Kuhlman' s variety of pitches. suddenly found their target connecting thrice in that period including a double by Veronica Belleza, who was then playing first, and a one bagger byAnnalie Benjamin in bunching together four runs.
Belleza's extra base hit in that flash of brilliance drove home catcher Margaret Garde, who had earlier walked by Kuhlman, and Marlyn Francisco who ripped a single. Benjamin matched that by sending Francisco and Belleza who in turn followed their two teammates crossing the plate on a base-hit
That must have completely diisarmed Kuhlman, the eventual loser, who filled the bases twice on three hits aand a base-on-balls in the succeding period although the Filipinas could only score a solitary run on a wild pitch that saw designated h8tter Erica Escanuela scampering home.
Another marker in the sitxh courtesy of Smokey Mountain girl Yrla Rojo's single and a wild pitch by reliever Lindsay's wild pitch to Macatangay finished off the opposition despite a rally the hosts put up late in the game that proved futile.
Against the Canadian qualifier, the golden Girls barely lifted their bats, roaring ahead 4-0 after four innings and 5-0 after five. An eight run in the sixth highlighted by a three-run homerun by Macatangay ended the contest in regulation.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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