The Philippine men’s softball team will face overwhelming odds when it battles the best and brightest in the World Championships slated Nov. 26 to Dec. 4 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Blu Boys’ coach Apol Rosales said the Blu Boys are eyeing to win as many games as they can, finish in the top three of their six-nation group, and qualify to the super round alongside the top three of the other bracket.
“All the 12 countries who made it to the Worlds are strong but we have prepared hard and we hope to win two or three games to qualify to the super round,” said Rosales during Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
The Filipinos are bracketed with defending champion and world No. 1 Argentina, United States, Czech Republic, Cuba, and host New Zealand in Group A.
They face the fearsome Americans on opening day.
Group B is composed of Japan, Australia, Canada, Denmark, South Africa, and Venezuela.
The Blu Boys made it to the Auckland tilt by finishing second to the Japanese in the Asian Cup in Kochi, Japan last month.
And now that they’re already in the big stage, Rosales said he expects his team to bring its A-game.
“We will treat every game as if it’s a championship game,” he said during the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Pitcher Juliuz Rosh dela Cruz and first baseman Julius Diaz both said they’re up for the challenge.
“This is a big challenge for us that’s why we continue to work harder,” said the 24-year-old Diaz, who is from La Salle.
“We’re doing morning training at the Rizal Baseball Field and even at night time at the Manila Polo Club in Makati just to improve on some things we need to improve on,” said Dela Cruz, a 19-year-old Polytechnic University of the Philippines standout.