Razcals, Barakos off for AsPac Zone tourneys

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine “Little Razcals” and “Barakos” leave for Singapore today, confident of their chances in the PONY International Asia Pacific Zone Mustang (9-10 yrs old) and Bronco-11 (11 yrs old) Asian Championships which unfold tomorrow. 

After getting last-minute instructions from Philippine Tot Baseball president Boy Tingzon, the Little Razcals and the Barakos, who capped their preparations with a two-week training under Isamu Sato of Chiba Prefecture Youth Baseball Association and a seminar conducted by Japan Major League star Norihiro Komada, are all geared up for the four-day competitions ending Saturday.

The winners will represent Asia in the World Series of their respective divisions. The Mustang World Series will be held in Burleson, Texas starting Aug. 2 while the Bronco-11 World Series is set July 25-31 in Chesterfield, Virginia.

On a mission to retain the Mustang crown, the Little Razcals open their bid with a double-header tomorrow, playing Vietnam at 9 a.m. and taking on Russia barely five hours later at 2 p.m. The Razcals will then face host Singapore on Thursday at 12 noon then wrap up their elims campaign against Indonesia the next day at 10 a.m. The championship is set Saturday.

The Barakos, for their part, are dead-set to become the first Asian champion in the Bronco-11 division. They will battle Singapore tomorrow at 3:30 p.m., then take on Russia on Thursday at 11 a.m. before slugging it out with Indonesia on Friday at 11 a.m. with a slot to Saturday’s championship match foremost on their minds.

Tasked to lead the Little Razcals are head coach Enrico Gesmundo Jr., assistant coach Christian Cinco, Richard Vincent Mendoza, Ivan Harry Tolentino, Lloyd Christian Cinco, Marcel Angelo Guzman, John Leonel Matanguihan, Kean Moises Agcaoili, Vicenzo Ricardo Miravite, Kenneth de los Santos, Jewell Paul Dimapilis, Kenneth Torres, Sancho Llamas, Ethan Mitschiener and Reden Tapia.     

Head coach Ruben Angeles, assistant coach Romar Landicho, Gian Cruz, Rovic Francis Villanueva, Jhonas Emmanuel Palad, Genesis Manabat, Vincent Josua Noprada, John Fritz Natanauan, Ezequiel Cyros Agojo, Efril Ian Mercado, Christopher Alan Clark, Gabriele Alcaraz, Danillo Carmelo Mendoza, Marty Alphonso Ranada, Calvin James Tingzon, Charles Joshua Castillo, Andrei Yoji Ueda, and Gian Cruz make up the Barakos’ roster.