US stalls Blu Boys quarterfinals bid

SASKATOON, Canada – The Philippines bowed to the United States, 4-9, in Day 4 Monday, stalling the Blu Boys bid for the quarterfinals in the 2009 World Men’s Softball Championship here.

RP’s top hurler Roger Rojas, the man responsible for the Philippines’ 4-3 win over Mexico in the opening day Friday, lasted for only two innings after giving up two runs and the Americans went on to riddle three more RP pitchers with nine hits en route to the win.

The Filipinos, on the other hand, could only connect four times, sending four runners in the seven-inning encounter, a pair in the opening frame and a run each in the fourth and seventh frames.

All is not lost though for the Blu Boys, whose participation here was funded by Cebuana Lhuillier, Pera Padala, Le Soleil de Boracay, Phiten and the Philippine Sports Commission, in their bid for a seat in the Final 8.

To remain in contention for a place in the quarters in Pool A, the Blu Boys must win at least two of their remaining three assignments.

They start their mission against their Asian championship tormentor Japan Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) before meeting winless Botswana the following day. They end their elimination round campaign against Denmark Thursday.

“The important thing is to get into the quarterfinals and then go for broke for the Final 4,” coach Zacky Bacarisas said even as he hinted that he will start with Leo Barredo against Japan.

The Japanese lost to Great Britain, 3-4 that forced a triple tie for third place in Pool A among the Japanese, the Filipinos and the Englishmen at identical 2-2 win-loss cards.

 The US was alone in second at 3-1 behind Pool A leader New Zealand (4-0).

Host Canada, meanwhile, continued to pace Pool B with a clean 4-0 slate following its 9-0 blanking of Indonesia in only five innings. Australia, which beat South Africa, 11-2, also in five, was in solo second at 3-1 followed by The Czech Republic, Argentina and Venezuela, all at 2-2.