RP lasses cop Little League WS crown

WASHINGTON — The Philippines’ girls junior softball team from Bacolod City tripped fancied Puerto Rico, 2-0, here Saturday to give the Philippines its first-ever title in the Little League World Series junior softball championship.

Diminutive pitcher Aiza dela Torre, provided the leadership for the Filipinas as she shut out the heavier and taller Puerto Ricans to assure the title in the game watched by a huge crowd of Filipinos who poured in from as far as Oregon and British Columbia to cheer the Bacolod team.

Defeat stared the RP belles in the third inning when Dela Torre gave up two hits, with only one out. Coach Rey Fuentes ordered a walk for the tough Puerto Rican hitter Ninostka Amato to load the bases. The ploy paid off as De la Torre struck out the next two batters.

With two outs in the fourth, the Philippines loaded the bases with a walk for Dilyn Benedicto. Nesa Delagente scored the first run for the Philippines on a wild pitch. It was followed by a run by Christine Jade Declines on an RBI byAngelyn Debulgado.

The Puerto Ricans did not register a hit in the first, second, fourth and sixth.