Manilans edge closer to AsPac title

MANILA, Philippines - Team Manila, drawing strength from members of the Philippine Blu Girls, repeated over host Indonesia, 33-1, yesterday to move closer to regaining the Asia-Pacific Big League Girls Softball Championship at the Senayan Sports complex fields in Jakarta.

Veronica Belleza, Rizza Bernardino and Julie Marie Muyco, members of the Blu Girls set to return here late this month for the Southeast Asian Women’s Softball Championship, alternated on the mound and teamed up with young talents in Melay Macatangay and Annalie Benjamin. They allowed only one batter on board in regulation five-inning contest that lasted a little more than an hour.

The Golden Girls, whose campaign is backed by the PCSO, PSC and former Sen. Nikki Coseteng, will only have to repeat over Pakistan in their 7:30 a.m. return match today to claim the crown they lost last year to Rizal Province and represent the region in the World Series of the 16-18 division in Kalamazoo, Michigan next month.

Belleza, Bernardino and Muyco also made a good account of themselves at the plate, driving in nine of the Golden Girls total output. Belleza went a perfect five-for-five at bat and had three runs batted in, Muyco had three-of-four with four RBIs, while Bernardino also made three-of-four stint while pushing two of her teammates home.

For the first time in three games, however, the opposition managed to score on the Golden girls’ solid defense.