PH batters crush Hong Kong, stay in hunt for World Cup group stage berth

The Philippine Blu Girls crushed Hong Kong, 12-0, to keep their bid alive for the third and last berth to the World Cup Group stage in the WBSC Women’s Softball Asia Cup in Xi’an, China on Saturday, July 19.Pitchers Glory Alonzo and Sydney Lynn Vitangcol spearheaded the Blu Girls, allowing their opponents with just a single hit while also leaning on their batters headed by Skylynne Ellazar’s three RBIs (runs batted in), and two each from Nicole Hammoude and Angelu Gabriel.The Nationals finished the elimination with a 6-3 win-loss record at fourth place, arranging a match with either host China or Chinese Taipei for third place and a seat to next year’s World Cup Group stage.It was a sweet bounce-back win for the Nationals, who are coming off a pair of defeats at the hands of China (2-1) and Chinese Taipei (3-0) the other day.Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) President Jean Henri Lhuillier is still confident of the team's ability to bounce back.“We knew this stretch of games would test us,” said Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) President Jean Henri Lhuillier.“The important thing now is how the team responds. The fight is far from over, and I believe in the resilience and heart of these players,” he added.A few days before, the Blu Girls already achieved a feat after earning a berth to the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.