MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines completed its delegation to the coming Little League Asia-Pacific Middle East Tournament with the emergence of National Capital Region as the country’s first-ever champion in the intermediate 50/70 division during the recent Palarong Pambansa in Dumaguete.
The NCR batters edged Central Luzon in the finals, 5-3, to capture the 50/70 plum and become the ninth Philippine representative to the AsPac-Mid-East regionals slated June 30-July 8 in Clark, where berths to the World Series are at stake.
The Palaro had been designated by Little League Philippines as the national qualifiers for 50/70, a “transition†division for 11-13 year-old boys and played on a field with a 50-foot pitching distance and 70-foot base paths.
NCR will be up against Japan, Saipan, Guam and Indonesia for top honors in the division being contested for the first time in the region.
The NCR team joins the eight champions in last month’s Little League Phl Series 2013 in Tanauan City in the regional competition featuring 61 teams from 20 nations.
Tanauan City carries Phl colors in Little League Baseball (11-12) and Junior League Baseball (13-14), while ILLAM and Muntinlupa Little League (MLL) have the honors in Senior League Baseball (14-16) and Big League Baseball (16-18), respectively.
Reigning Big League Softball World Series champion Manila South banners the Filipinos’ campaign in girls softball and is fancied to repeat as regional champs. Iloilo vies in the Little League Softball and Junior League Softball divisions while Sta. Cruz (Laguna) competes in Senior League Softball.