Blu Girls keep Asean reign, blank Indonesians

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines blanked Indonesia-Red, 5-0, to cap its domination of the ASEAN Women’s Softball Championship at the Senayan Sports Complex field in Jakarta last Sunday.

Flashing superb hitting power and tough defense, the Blu Girls whisked off the stubborn Indonesians with Syrel Ramos twirling a two-hit job in the first four innings.

The hosts actually held the Blu Girls to just a hit in the first two innings until a triple by designated hitter Julie Mari Muyco sparked the RP bets’ charge in the bottom of the third inning. Muyco also scored on a sacrifice fly by Adamson teammate Sherrylou Valenzuela.

The Blu Girls then made a three-hit, three-run attack in the next frame to turn what had appeared to be tight contest in a one-sided rout.

Lovelyn Maganda, also from Adamson, keyed that run, matching Muyco’s three-base-hit before pinchrunner Joan Pioquinto followed Muyco across the plate on a fielder’s choice.

“As I’ve been telling everybody, this team is marvelous, amazing,” Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines president Jean Henri Lhuillier said. “We at Asaphil are happy that the girls have proven just that.

“It’s a good sendoff for the Blu Girls who will be competing in the coming Asian Games. This victory validated our claim that the Blu Girls deserve to be playing in the Asian Games which we earned already by finishing fourth in the Asian championship,” said Lhuillier.