MANILA, Philippines - Asia-Pacific representative Iloilo Province failed to sustain its improbable run in the Junior League World Series knockout stages and yielded a 3-12 setback to Host District in Friday night’s semifinal at Everest Park in Kirkland, Washington (Saturday morning) in Manila.
The Iloilo clouters battled Host District’s Kirkland National/American LL to a close encounter through five innings but just could not stop the home side’s hot batting in the last three frames as they kissed their finals bid goodbye.
Iloilo was the surprise semifinalist of the tourney. Catching the last bus to the quarterfinals with a 1-3 card in Pool A, the Ilonggas pulled off a shocking 12-11 verdict over erstwhile unbeaten USA East, the Pool B topnotcher, in their quarterfinal encounter the other day.
Still, Iloilo’s semis stint was the best among the five Filipino teams that represented the Aspac in the various softball and baseball world tilts all over the US. Dethroned Big League Softball champ Manila South, Little League Softball bet Iloilo, Senior League Softball entry Laguna and Senior League Baseball competitor ILLAM all bombed out after the pool hostilities of their respective competitions.
The Ilonggas fought Kirkland to a 2-2 standoff after three completed innings and were still within striking distance at the end of the fourth, 2-4.
However, Kirkland asserted its hitting from there en route to securing a berth in the championship game against Southeast, 6-5 winner over Central in the other Last-4 duel.
Kirkland added two runs to its cushion via Hannah Walker’s RBI triple and Natalie Vetto’s sacrifice fly in the top fifth before Iloilo put in one error-aided run in the bottom fifth. Kirkland blew the game open with a five-run explosion off six hits in the sixth, highlighted by run-scoring single by Kayla Henry, Tori Bevins and Brynn Radke and RBI triple by Walker.
In all, Kirkland had 16 hits against Iloilo’s Kate Teves (two hits in two innings) and Beverlyn Velasco (14 hits, nine earned runs in five innings).
Bevins had four hits and two RBIs against Iloilo and was also credited with the win, allowing just one hit and one run and issuing no walks while striking out four in a four-inning relief job. Starter Liza Nelson pitched a two-hitter and gave up two runs.