Manila, Smokey gals fall anew

MANILA, Philippines - Asia Pacific representative Manila South squandered a four-run lead and yielded a 4-6 setback to host District 3’s Laurel LL Delaware in the Big League Softball World Series in Lower Sussex, Delaware, USA Wednesday.

The Manila softbelles got off to a blazing start with Cristy Joy Roa blasting a grand slam in the opening frame. But they failed to sustain their charge and dropped to their second consecutive loss for 1-2 overall in Pool A of the 16-18 competitions.

Laurel improved to 2-1.

Kept in check through four innings, the hosts broke through in the next two frames where they caught up with the Filipinas and finally pulled ahead.

Gaby Culver and Hailey Andrews each drove in one runner with their single and double, respectively, before Morgan Smith slammed a two-run double to level the game in the fifth.

Host District 3 scored the go-ahead in the next stanza, sparked by the solo round-tripper of Alexis Hudson and the RBI double of Andrews.

Manila managed to fill the bases with one out in the seventh but the home team secured the last two outs, a pop up and a strikeout by Regan Green, to finish off the Pinays.

Over in Senior League Softball action, AsPac champ Smokey Mountain fell to its third straight loss via a 3-7 setback to USA Southwest’s Brownsville, Texas.

Smokey Mountain committed three costly errors in the first, allowing the Brownsville softbelles to seize a 5-0 cushion.

The Texans scored two off a miscue at second base then Karla Sosa belted a two-run triple and Doriana Alcalde reached the plate off a fielder’s choice to jump the gun on the debuting Smokey Mountain belle.

Southwest stormed to its third straight win in Pool A.