MANILA (PNA) -- Iloilo Province of the Philippines showed muscles on both sides of the field in an abbreviated 23-0 smashing of Indonesia in only four innings at the start of the two nation?s best-of-five series for the Major League Division (11-12 age class) of the Little League Philippine Series yesterday day at the Parade grounds of the Clark Air Base in Angeles City.
With Roevin Palma allowing no one on base in a no-hit, no-run, no-error duty on the mound, the Ilongga batters made mincemeat of the Indonesian girls? bullpen with 14 hits and emerged favored to sweep the series and carry the country?s and Asia?s colors in the division World Series in August in Portland, Oregon.
The Ilonggas meet anew the Indonesians at 9 a.m. today and appear heading to their second straight victory and a game short of claiming the title and the ticket to Oregon.
Their Junior League (13-14) counterparts, meanwhile, open their campaign, also today, against the Indonesians in the hope of topping, too, this bracket and return to Kirkland, Washington where their counterparts from neighboring Bacolod City won that level?s World Series crown 10 years ago.
?Maganda ang chances nating manalo in both the Major Leaague and Junior bracket at kawanin ang Pilipinas at Asya sa World Series,? coach Rey Fuenrtes, the same man who guided Bacolod to the Junior League World Series in 2003, predicted.
?Parehong malakas ang dala kong team at huwag lamang mamalasin, nakatitiyak na ang mga bata natin na dalhin an gating bandera sa Oregon at Kirkland para lumaban sa World Series in their respective levels,? he added.
Also seeing action today is the World Series reigning titleholder Team Manila. which faces Guam at 11 o?clock.
Like the two teams from Iloilo, the Manilenyas are also picked to sweep their two-team series that also include Indonesia, to defend the world title in Delaware.
Manila coach Ana Santiago downplayed though the Manilenyas? chances, saying only three players remained of her powerhouse lineup last year.
?Medyo nabungi ang lineup ng world champion tem natin,? Santiago
said. ?Sina Queenie Abobo, Krisna Paguican at Jane Raro na lang ang naiwan sa line up ko noong 2012. Pero kung itong Aspac lamang ang pag-u-usapan, puede pa tayong manalo. Pagdating sa World Series, baka doon tayo magka-problema.?
Besides Ababo, Paguican and Raro, who are all members of her UAAP titlist Adamson University, four other Lady Falcons -- Gelyn Lamate, Rosalyn Boton, Angelie Ursabia and Lorna Adorable ? made it to her roster.
Santiago?s team is reinforced by University of Santo Tomas? Ann Secor, Mary Ann Antolihao, Mary Louise Garde, Hazel Anque and Josalie Almonia; Agapi Llave of PolYtechnic University, Whell Ghene Camral Of National University and Adrienne Limpe Uy of Ateneo.
The Philippines are actually hands down choice to represent Asia in all softball divisions of the Little League movement as a team from Laguna is also entered in the Senior League (14-16) bracket.
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