THE PHILIPPINES got a much-needed victory over Uganda via forfeiture that soothed the pain of a crushing defeat to a mighty United States yesterday and stayed in super-round contention in the U15 Women’s Softball World Cup at the Komazawa Olympic Park in Tokyo.
Moments after being a recipient of a 20-0 drubbing at the hands of the Americans, the Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls got a reprieve in the win over the Ugandans, who pulled out from the tournament.
“Uganda didn’t show up so yes, they forfeited all their games, automatic 7-0,” said Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines secretary-general and national team catcher Cheska Altomonte.
The result hiked the country’s record to 2-1 and it would need to win one or both of its last two matches with Puerto Rico today (Oct. 23) and Brazil tomorrow for it to claim one of the three slots in Group B to the super round.
There, assuming they advance, the Blu Girls and fellow Group B qualifiers will tackle the top three in Group A in a crossover format where the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in the first bracket clash with the Nos. 3, 2 and 1, respectively, in the other.
After an epic 3-2 win over Czechia, a shorter name for the Czech Republic, the day before, the Blu Girls ran into the dreaded Americans, who just utterly destroyed the former in a duel that lasted only three innings due to the mercy rule.
It wasn’t the end of the world for the Nationals though as there is still light at the end of the tunnel in their medal hopes. — Joey Villar
