BluGirls seek 2010 World Championship Slot
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 20 Sep 2011
NANTOU, Taiwan ? The Philippine Blu Girls open their quest for a berth in the 2012 World Championship when they face Hong Kong Wednesday at the start of the 10th Asian Women?s Softball Championship at the Ciaoguang field here.
The Blu Girls, whose participation here serves as the only international exposure in their title-retention bid in the coming 26th Southeast Asian Games, and the Hongkong batters, battle at 9 a.m. opening day salvo that will also see host Chinese Taipei battling Indonesia at 3 p.m.
The Philippines, once ranked third in the world and four-time Asian championship runner up since its inception in 1967, is bracketed in Pool A of the two-group, 13-team elimination round along with defending champion Japan, also the reigning Olympic Games titleholder, South Korea, North Korea, Iraq, Thailand and Hong Kong.
Cast in Pool B action are 2007 runner up and host Chinese Taipei, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Pakistan and India.
The top two teams from each pool after the elimination advance into the Final Four of the page system format to decide the two finalists that will dispute the crown and lead two other teams that will qualify to the 2012 World Championship. Making it to the Final Four looks tough as the Blu Girls have to hurdle not only the tough Japanese but, likewise, the South Koreans, who beat them, 4-3, in the 2010 Asian Games, and the North Koreans.
The Blu Girls, whose trip here was made possible with the assistance of the Philippine Sports Commission, Cebuana Lhuillier, Pera Padala, Le Soleil de Boracay and Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions, play the two Koreas in a tough doubleheader assignment Thursday in what could decide their fate in their campaign to advance into the semifinal round. Should coach Ana Santiago?s Girls prevail, they meet Iraq Friday and Japan Saturday.
?Natapat tayo sa medyo may kalakasang grupo, pero me pagasang makapasa sa Final Four. Kailangan lang manalo tayo sa dalawang Korea. Di Bale ang Japan given naman na malakas sila dahil no. 1 sila sa world, Santiago, who will also be calling the shots in the SEA Games, said of her team?s chances.
?Pag nakapasok sa semis, bahala na, ubusan na ng lakas doon. Tinalo na natin ang Korea noong 2007 Asian championship at lamang tayo noong Asian Games until we folded up in the homestretch. Babawi tayo ngayon,? she added.
?We come to the championship prepared with the goal of qualifying for the world championship. It will be a great honor if we can achieve this,? Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines secretary general Danny Francisco said on the day the team left Manila Tuesday for Taipei.
Boosting the Blu Girls? morale is the arrival of prodigal teammates -- pitcher Syrel Ramos, best hurler in the 2007 SEA Games, and stocky catcher Lovelyn Maganda. The duo left for Brunei two years ago for overseas opportunities along several other national teammates when the PSC removed the team from its payroll.
Ramos and Maganda work and play for their respective teams in Brunei along with Gedda Valencia. Hitter Nimpa Baral is currently in Singapore, while home run queen Belen Asok is in Italy. Beefing up the team anew are returnees Gina Bacus, who had just given birth to a second child, and Jocel Aguilar. Rounding up the Blu Girls line up are veteran internationalists Esmeralda Tayag, Sarah Agravante, Sherylou Valenzuela, Dione Macasu, Maryjoy Lasquite, Elma Parohinog, up-and-coming Marlyn Francisco, Julie Marie Muyco, Alexandra Zuluaga, Melanie Lasderna, Veronica belleza, Annalie Benjamin and rookie Luzviminda Embudo.
Except for Embudo, all of Santiago?s Girls had represented the country in the World Series of Little League softball.Santiago will be assisted in the dugout by many-time Blu Girl Carmencita Velasco, hitting coach Noel Bumagat and pitching coach Ronnie Pagkaliwagan. Delegation head is ASAPHIL board member Randy Dizer.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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