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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Blu Girls blank Thais to jumpstart medal bid in Asiad

Blu Girls blank Thais to jumpstart medal bid in Asiad

Published Sep 26, 2023 06:52 am

At A Glance

  • The Philippine Blu Girls overpowered Southeast Asian rival Thailand, 11-0, to jumpstart their medal campaign in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Tuesday, Sept. 26.

The Philippine Blu Girls overpowered Southeast Asian rival Thailand, 11-0, to jumpstart their medal campaign in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Tuesday, Sept. 26.

blu girls
The Philippine Blu Girls open their medal campaign at the Asian Games on a high note. (ASAPHIL)

Glory Alonzo  spearheaded a four-pitcher crew that allowed just two hits in helping power the 2019 SEA Games champions to the shutout victory while launching their campaign for a first podium finish.

It also took a strong batting game that started with a five-run rampage at the bottom of the opening inning to carve up the Thais and zap the fight out of them as the latter just didn’t have an answer to Alonzo’s magnificent pitching and the Blu Girls’ fielding brilliance.

“It was a great game, young hitting and defense naming lumabas siya,” said national team coach Ana Santiago. “And I used all our four pitchers para ma-feel nila ang game.”

Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) President Jean Henri Lhuillier, meanwhile, said he was not surprised with the outcome as he was familiar with the girls' capabilities.

"The performance of the Blu Girls has been extremely solid and I cannot wait to see them battle it out during the podium matches," Lhuillier said.

The Blu Girls will next face the fearsome Chinese with hopes of pulling the rug from under the 2018 Asian Games bronze winners and inch closer to advancing to the super round where the medalists will be determined.

For the Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Philippines to make it there though, they would need to finish in the top two of their bracket that also included South Korea.

The country’s best finish here was fourth twice and never brought home a medal in years they have plunged into action in the sport.

And there are high hopes that this could be the year the Blu Girls are waiting for.

“San palarin,” said Santiago.

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