Manila Golden Girls score anew

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Golden Girls continued their fightback from back-to-back setbacks as they blanked last year’s runner-up San Juan of Puerto Rico in the Big League World Series for girls softball 14-18 at the Vanderberg Park in Kalamazoo, Michigan Saturday.

Julie Marie Muyco twirled a no-hit, no run game in four innings then Veronica Belleza took over in the next three frames to complete the shutout victory for the Filipina clouters, who also trounced Antelope Valley of California, 10-3, late Friday.

The twin victories evened the Filipinas’ record to 2-2 after the Golden Girls lost to Grand Rapids, 1-2, Thursday and dropped a 4-7 loss to Dunedin of Florida early Friday.

The Golden Girls peppered the Puerto Rican starter with three hits right in the bottom first inning, scoring two runs en route to the victory.

Muyco, playing out of Adamson, allowed only one Puerto Rican batter on board on a fielding error by shortstop Marlyn Francisco of UE in the third.

The 18-yer-old Muyco then retired all the Puerto Ricans she faced before yielding the mound to Belleza of RTU, who surrendered only one hit the rest of the way.

Francisco made up for her third inning miscue with a one-out single in the first, starting the Filipinas’ three-hit, two-run binge. Another base hit by Lady Falcon Melanie Macatangay saw Francisco reach third base.

Coach Filomeno “Boy” Codiñera said his wards must sweep their remaining four games and hope that either Grand Rapids of Michigan State, Kalamazoo of the host city and West Monroe of Louisiana lose two of their remaining matches to get a crack at the championship.

The RP girls, meanwhile, seek their third straight against Laurel of Delaware Sunday (Monday in Manila). Both Manila and the Eastern United States qualifier tote identical 2-win-2-loss cards for joint fourth behind Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Delaware, all with 4-0 slates.

The RP girls’ campaign is backed by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office under chairperson and general manager Margarita Juico, Cebuana Lhuillier Pera Padala, Le Soleil de Boracay and Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions.