Tanauan blanks Texas, rules Senior League Softball World Series Seniors

MANILA, Philippines — Royevel Palma threw a complete game shutout as Asia-Pacific representative Tanauan blanked Southwest’s Texas District 9, 7-0, to win a historic Senior League Softball World Series championship Sunday afternoon (early yesterday Manila time) at Bruce Layton Field in Lower Sussex, Delaware.

Picking up from where she left off in their 8-0 semis win over East, Palma allowed only two hits, struck out 15, and issued no walks against the Texans in seven innings to power the team to its milestone world title in the girls’ 16-and-under division.

“It’s the first time ever for the Philippines (in the Senior League), adding to our collection of Junior League and Big League champions,” said Little League Philippines district administrator Jolly Gomez, referring to Bacolod City’s JLS triumph in 2003 and Manila’s title run in the defunct Big League division in 2012.

Gomez said the softbelles’ feat goes to show that “this is the team sports that Filipinos should be investing in.”

After pitching a three-hitter and fanning out 14 in the previous game, Palma continued her impressive performance on the mound and stifled the Texas battters. The Americans reached scoring position only once when Haylie Mitchell, one of only two batters to single against Palma, stole second on a pop out play, but the Pinay ace took the the next two outs to quash the threat and seal the championship.

Marika Monica Manaig delivered three RBIs plus one run in a hot 3-for-4 clip to lead Tanauan’s 10-hit outing with April Joy Rosita and Jamm’n Joyce Rasco also accounting for multiple hits for the Aspac representatives.

Tanauan touched things off with a four-run spree in the third inning, with Manaig driving home Jeelyn Pajotal and Rasco then Mae Langga and Palma batting in Manaig and Langga, respectively.

In the next frame, Rasco and Manaig made it 6-0 with RBI singles then Rasco reached the plate herself for the seventh run pouncing on an error by rightfielder Maci Matthews.