MANILA, Philippines - Host Marikina City and Gawad Kalinga Smokey Mountain pulled off contrasting victories to advance to the round-of-16 in major league baseball of the Little League Philippine Series at the Sumulong grounds in Marikina City yesterday.
Playing before home crowd, the Marikina batters didn’t disappoint as they overpowered the Pasig side, 15-1, to nail their third straight victory and the first berth to the knockout phase in the 11-12 boys’ division .
Smokey Mountain, on the other hand, turned back a stubbord Quezon City side, 8-5, to clinch a berth in Group B of the National Capital Region bracket of this event bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission through commissioner and Little League Phl administrator Jolly Gomez.
Marikina routed Smokey Mountain, 17-1, last Monday and then blanked Manila South, 16-0, Wednesday, while Smokey Mountain finished the elimination stage with a 3-1 (win-loss) record.
The hosts, who tapped a total of 12 baseball and softball fields in seven barangays, including a pair of fields at Rizal High in nearby Pasig, will go for a sweep and the top seeding as it clashes with Quezon City, winless in three outings, in today’s final preliminary playdate.
In Group A of the same bracket, Muntinlupa formalized its entry to the next round after racing to a 14-0 lead on top of the first inning before Valenzuela conceded due to injury of its centerfielder.
Burly catcher Santi Laurel, nephew of Ateneo standout Matt and La Salle hotshot Carl Lee Laurel, and pitcher Ethan Mitchiener spearheaded the attack as they batted in four runs each after going three-of-three at bat, fuelling the lopsided victory.
It was the third win in row by Muntinlupa, which joined ILLAM in the last-16 after victories over Makati, 6-0, Tuesday and Antipolo, 9-1, Wednesday.
Muntinlupa, which dominated the NCR regional meet to represent the Big City in the Palarong Pambansa scheduled May 4-10 in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, and ILLAM will battle it out for the top seeding in the playoff round.
In Group A of the South Luzon bracket, Canlubang flattened Dasmarinas, 33-1, to notch its third straight win and nail a spot in the round-of-16.
Canlubang trounced Sta. Cruz, 7-0, Monday then whipped Calamba, 10-2, last Tuesday. It plays unbeaten Los Baños today for the top seeding.
In Group A of the North/Central Luzon bracket, the Ganduyan Bucks of Sagada, Mountain Province hammered Baler, Aurora, 17-1, in just four and a half innings to stay in the hunt with a 2-1 slate.
Mountain Province, seeking to match, if not surpass, its fourth place finish in the 2005 edition in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, will need to beat Pampanga today to surge ahead.
“It’s a do-or-die game for us, that Pampanga match tomorrow (today),†said Mountain Province coach Allen Angway, a Physical Education teacher at Bangzan Elementary School for two decades now.