The Philippine Blu Boys failed to sustain their charge and bowed to the New Zealand and Lakidende of Malaysia sides to settle for the bronze in the Makassar Open international men’s and women’s softball tournament in Makassar, Indonesia.
The Blu Boys bowed to the Kiwis the second time around, 1-3, and succumbed to the Malaysians, 0-9, to finish with a 7-3 slate. Lakidende, which lost to the Blu Boys, 0-1, in their first face-off, also had a 7-3 slate but moved to the finals against the Kiwis, who lorded it over the field with a 9-1 card.
Despite failing to match their silver medal effort in this year’s 10th Asian Men’s Softball Championship, also in Indonesia, the Blu Boys still put up a strong performance in the week-long event, edging Bedford (Australia), 10-9, then bouncing abck from a 1-5 defeat to New Zealand with victories over Piccadilly (New Zealand), 3-0, Lakidende (Malaysia), 1-0, Pirates (Indonesia), 10-0, Bedford, 6-3, Pirates, 7-0, and Piccadily, 6-2.
“The team’s strong performance in the competition is a testament to how Filipinos can excel in softball. With the Blu Boys as their role models, I hope more young Filipinos will take up the sport,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL).