Alma Tauli and Kianna Juan combined for three hits as host Philippines crushed Malaysia, 11-1, even as defending champion Chinese Taipei notched its third straight shutout win with a 12-0 rout of Thailand in the 2018 Asian Junior Women’s Softball Championship at the Clark International Sports Complex in Pampanga.
Tauli pitched a no-hit, two strikeouts in two innings before turning the job to Juan, who closed out with one run and one hit in a two-inning relief job as the Blu Girls reasserted their supremacy over the Malaysians in scorching heat in a game reduced to four innings due to the 10-run rule.
“I have so much faith in our young players, and I know that they have the skills and the determination to deliver. Same goes to the other teams. I’ve seen how hard they work on the field to notch wins for their respective countries in spite of the searing heat here in Clark,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL).
Japan, champion in 1997, 2004, and 2009, posted its third consecutive win with a 10-3 victory over China while Korea dealt India its second straight defeat via a 10-0 rout.
The Japanese, half of them southpaws, outhit and outran the Chinese while hurlers Sone Hanna and Mio Sakamoto combined for three hits over seven innings to anchor the lopsided result.
“It’s really hot out there. My players were affected by the scorching summer. It’s good, they were able to withstand the searing heat,” said team leader Haruka Saito through a Filipina interpreter after Japan stretch its win run at the four-diamond softball field inside the former US Air Force base.
Japan and Chinese Taipei are two of eight teams still unbeaten in the weeklong competition organized by Softball Confederation Asia in partnership with ASAPHIL supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, and sponsored by Cebuana Lhuillier.
Taking over from Royeve Palma, the right-hander Tauli, ranked third in the five-woman pitching staff, starved the Malaysians with air-tight pitching, fanning out two batters with no walk in two innings before Juan took over and finished with one hit and one run.
“Tauli and Juan made good account of themselves. They blended well and my hitters found their marks,” said coach Isaac Bacarisas, who took over the coaching job from Sandy George Barredo.
The Blu Girls, who dropped a 0-1 setback to the Chinese in Sunday’s opener, haven’t lost to the Malaysians in various international meets, including the Southeast Asian Games and Asean softball.