Iloilo bows out of Li’l League WS of softball

MANILA, Philippines - Asia-Pacific representative Iloilo Province wasted a one-run cushion and yielded a close 9-10 loss to USA West to bow out of the Little League Softball World Series Sunday at the Main Field of Alpenrose in Portland (Monday in Manila).

The Ilonggas took a 9-8 lead after four completed innings but failed to hold on and surrendered two runs in the fifth that eventually sealed their defeat, their third in four outings in Pool B, which effectively sent them out of the semifinal picture.

Iloilo followed the fate of fellow Philippine squads Manila South and Laguna, which similarly fell short of the medal rounds in the Big League and Seniors competitions of the softball World Series over in Sussex County, Delaware.

Iloilo’s bets in the juniors softball worlds over in Kirkland, Washington, fell flat on their opening appearance, bowing to USA Southwest (South Tampa), 5-16, at Everest Park’s Field A Sunday (Monday in Manila).

The last team from the Phl-ILLAM Central LL – plunges into action Monday in Pool B action of the Senior League Baseball WS in Bangor, Maine (Tuesday in Manila) against host Main District 3.

Seeking a follow up to their come-from-behind 6-4 triumph over Canada the previous day, Iloilo’s Little Leaguers patiently wiped out a five-run deficit against their rivals from Sunnyside, Arizona with a six-run explosion in the fourth to wrest the lead.

Kathy Nueva scored following successive errors by Sunnyside, then Kate Mabelin drove in Marie Caingid, Jaimalyn Ambong and Rozel Sunico with a triple to right field to cut it to 7-8. Mabelin posted the equalizer off an error, afterwhich Royeve Palma stole home for a 9-8 margin.

But the fightback went for naught as Sunnyside countered with two runs in the next frame behind Jaylen Marquez’s RBI double and Yannira Acuna’s run-scoring triple.

Meanwhile, Iloilo’s juniors softbelles (0-1) tries to get on track Monday against debuting host Kirkland National/American LL (Tuesday in Manila) in Pool A action.