Bangkok, Guam top Kids Game

MANILA, Philippines - Bangkok and Guam scored lopsided victories while Kuala Lumpur hacked out a close win as they dominated the 2012 Kids’ Goodwill Games at the Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa last weekend.

Bangkok blanked the Alabang Tigers, 5-0, in the 10-and-under Lifeline Rescue field while Guam topped the club division in the 12-and-under Philippine Transmarine Carrier field with a 10-0 rout of Singapore. The Kuala Lumpur All Star, led by Bryce Cody, edged MLL, 4-3, to win the super division title in the ICTSI field.

The other teams who took part in the three-day tournament were 10-and-under third placer Ateneo, ILLAM Blue and ILLAM Red, and teams from  Dasmariñas, Cavite, which finished third in the under-12 club division, Calamba City, which took third in the 12-and-under super division, and Bayanan.

The individual awardees in the tournament jointly organized by the Alabang Country Club and the Alabang Baseball and Softball Club in cooperation with Pure Play Sports Management were best hitter Calvin Hewett from Bangkok, best pitcher Ethan Mitschiener from the Tigers, Joshua Kaleb Abergas from Ateneo, and Bangkok’s Andrew Barker who emerged MVP in the 10-and-under.

KL All Stars Paco Francisco and Song Wen Jet were declared co-MVPs in the Super Division, Guam’s Gavin Salas was MVP in the club division, while Wen Jet also won the best hitter and best pitcher awards.

Francisco also bagged the home run king award in the 12-and-under division.

In connection with Kids Goodwill Games objective, a donation drive was initiated by the Central Coast Athletics Foundation headed by Christopher and Pat Augustine. Guam also donated new equipment to underprivileged teams Bayanan, Calamba and Dasmariñas, Cavite. Singapore Aces did some clinics using the donated baseball equipment to SOS Children Villages Philippines.

The backers of the event were ICTSI, Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Lifeline Rescue, Nuvoland Inc., Shakey’s, Max’s Restaurant, Jamba Juice, Krispy Kreme, Gigawatt Inc., Constellation Travel, Petrolift Inc. and the Philippine Sports Commission.