PABA forms women’s team

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is forming a women’s baseball team for the first time with the squad set to do battle in the second BFA Women’s Baseball Asian Championship in China in November.

Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) vice president Boy Tingzon said they have high hopes for the new team, bannered by some former softball players, as it makes its international debut in the meet that serves as qualifiers for the Women’s Baseball Cup.

“We have the potential to be in the Top 10 in the world in women’s,” said Tingzon, the executive in charge of PABA’s women’s and youth teams.

Tingzon said the entry of former softbelles gives them much optimism.

“Our women’s softball players are world class already and we expect them to adapt to baseball and become world class in baseball, too,” he said of the squad being handled by coach Egay delos Reyes.

PABA is also in the process of assembling the men’s and U15 teams for major international meets.

The men’s crew is slated to hit the diamond in the 29th Asian Baseball Championship in Chinese-Taipei, a qualifying tourney for the Tokyo Olympics, and gun for the gold in the Southeast Asian Games on home ground. 

For its part, the youth squad is primed for a stint in the BFA U15 Asian Baseball Championships in Shenzhen, China in August.