Blu Girls trip S'poreans, Koreans, move to semis

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines bundled out Singapore and South Korea on Monday to reach the semifinals of the 10th Asian Women’s Softball Championship in Nantou, Taiwan.

The Blu Girls trounced the Singaporeans, 10-3, in an abbreviated five-inning contest in the upper-half of the eight-team, page system, then got back at elimination-round tormentors Koreans, 6-5, to make the next round with a shot at sure bronze versus host Chinese Taipei.

A win in the contest will also guarantee the Blu Girls of a ticket to the World Championship. The top three in the regional meet advanced to the world joust.

The winner in the Philippines-Chinese Taipei contest sets up a playoff against second-seeded China for the right to play defending champion Japan in the final match.

Japan sports a 7-0 win-loss slate, including a 1-0 drubbing of China in the quarterfinals.

“We’re improving as we’re getting the feel of the international brand of play,” said coach Ana Santiago.

“Taiwan is strong being the No. 3 in the Asian ranking. But given the breaks, I think we can upset them and make the World Championship,” Santiago added.

The Filipinas, backed by Philippine Sports Commission, Cebuana Lhuillier, Pera Padala, Le Soleil de Boracay and Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions, ended up with a 3-3 win-loss card in the seven-team Pool A of the elimination, winning over Hong Kong, Iraq and Thailand and losing to Japan, South Korea and North Korea.

Veronica Belleza twirled a no-hit, no-run two-inning relief while her teammates pelted two Singaporean hurlers with 14 hits to settle the issue right at the bottom of the second where they scored three runs on four hits.

The Blu Girls didn’t stop there, connecting six more times in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth that produced seven more markers.

It was the turn of Julie Marie Muyco to deliver against the South Koreans, who beat the Blu Girls, 7-2,, in the qualifying stage.