PH batters win back to back in Women’s Baseball World Cup

Philippine women’s baseball team sees action vs Great Britain in the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup. –WSBC PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine women’s baseball team picked up back-to-back wins in the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup in a matter of hours after defeating Great Britain, 6-2, in Tainan, Taiwan.

Shortly after their breakthrough victory over Cuba, the Filipina batters picked up where they left off as they scored four runs in the first inning on their way to moving up in the Group B standings with a 2-1 record.

READ: Philippines chases Finals berth in Women’s Baseball World Cup

That put them in third place with two games to go. Coach Saki Bacarisas’ squad is scheduled to take on host Chinese-Taipei and Venezuela on Thursday to close the group phase.

The top three teams from the Tainan Group will advance to the Finals next year in Rockford, Illinois, alongside the United States, Australia and Canada.

Defending champion Japan leads the group at 3-0, Chinese-Taipei has a 1-0 record while playing Venezuela as of posting time. Venezuela is at 1-1 while Great Britain and Cuba are both winless.

Martine Dominique Francisco’s two-run double with one out in the first broke the ice as the Philippines seemed to have kept the momentum going after blanking Cuba, 6-0.

Ivymhel Capistrano followed it up by driving home Francisco on a double a few batters later before she scored on the next at-bat with a two-bagger from Shyla Mae Celis.

Starting pitcher Mary Nichole Padasas picked up the victory after she struck out four British batters in four innings.