Phl, Indonesia duel for AsPac crown

Manila, Philippines - Indonesia unleashed a barrage of runs in the first four innings then defused Guam’s fightback to carve out a 10-7 victory and clinch a finals berth in the Asia-Pacific Senior League Championship at the Rizal Memorial baseball field yesterday.

The win forged a three-way tie for first (2-2) but Indonesia and the Philippines, represented by Tanauan, took the finals slots as they booted out Guam in the tiebreaker.

Tournament director Mike Zialcita said the Phl emerged with the highest tiebreak score based on least runs allowed with 13 to seal the first finals ticket in the weeklong event staking a slot in the World Series slated Aug. 14-20 in Bangor, Maine.

Guam actually had a better tiebreak score with just 29 runs allowed against Indonesia’s 35 but the latter took the other finals berth on a winner-over-the-other rule.

“That’s based on the world little league rules in breaking ties,” Zalcita told The STAR yesterday.

The Filipinos will thus play the same Indonesian team which it swept in two games in the elims in the one-game finale set at 8 a.m. today.

In Big League action, Guam opted to concede the match to CNMI-Saipan in a non-bearing game. The Guamanians actually led, 1-0, in the first inning when it was halted due to heavy rains.

Guam’s decision thus gave Saipan its third win in four outings as the latter arranged a title showdown with the Philippines, represented by International Little League of Manila (ILLAM).

They dispute the title at 11 a.m.

The winner of the Phl-Saipan showdown will represent the region in the World Series set July 27-Aug. 3 in Eastly, South Carolina.