Blu Boys stunned by Singapore, in danger of missing gold in SEA Games softball

CLARK — The Philippines was looking to sweep both men’s and women’s softball divisions in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

There is a chance it might not happen.

In what could be the biggest upset in the sport, the Blu Boys absorbed a catastrophic 3-4 defeat to Singapore on Friday, which dealt a huge blow to their golden bid in men’s softball of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at The Villages grounds here.

It was a heartbreaking defeat for the host country, which swept the elimination round, including an 8-0 bashing of Singapore.

The result also put the country, which won the event’s last four stagings and was once a fourth placer in the World Championship, in danger of missing out on the gold since yielding the mint 22 years ago in Jakata, Indonesia where it ended up with a silver.

The Filipinos came into the page system semifinals as the favorite to beat the Singaporeans and clinch the first slot to the finale.

Instead, the Philippines fell in a must-win match against the winner between Indonesia and Thailand for the other finals berth where it will have a chance to win the gold and avenge the embarrassing defeat.

While the men’s team showed vulnerability, the women’s squad was just invincible as it smashed Malaysia, 12-0, to claim the first finals berth.

The finals game is set Sunday.