Manila softbelles shock reigning World Series champions

MANILA—The team that almost didn’t make the tournament is now making heads turn.

Living up to its tag as title contender, Team Manila stunned defending champion US Central from Grand Rapids, Michigan, 4-1, Friday to grab the solo lead with its fourth straight win in the 2011 Big League (16-18) Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

World Series veteran Veronica Belleza pitched a complete game for Manila, allowing just seven hits in seven innings, while Rissa Bernardino continued her superb hitting by belting a two-run home run at the top of the seventh inning to finally take the fight out of the Americans.

It was sweet revenge for the Manila softbelles of coaches Ana Santiago and Randy Dizer, who lost the World Series crown to the same team in last year’s finals.

Grand Rapids also beat Manila in the 2008 finals.

The Manilans, who already have a tournament-leading six home runs, looked sharp two days into the tournament and Dizer attributed this to their longer preparations that included tuneup matches in Chicago.

“The team is not jet-lagged and that has been key for us,” said Dizer. “In the past, we arrive a day before our games that’s why we often lose our first few matches.”

Dizer believes the team, which was able to make the trip after private sponsors came to shoulder the players’ airfare, is more motivated to nail the title this time.

“This team may not be as strong as in the previous years, but they are really motivated,” said Dizer. “These girls have something to prove: that government should support sports where we can dominate.”

“The team’s morale is very high right now,” said team manager Che Borromeo. “They know they have a good chance of going all the way.”

Earlier Friday, Bernardino and Michelle Lentija combined for a perfect game as Manila shut out Italy, 13-0, in a duel that was stopped in the fifth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Bernardino struck out six batters in three innings, before Lentija took over to preserve the no-hitter for the Manila batters, who beat US Southwest, 10-0, and Canada, 7-0, last Thursday.

The victory against Italy was highlighted by Lentija’s home run which was adjudged by tournament director Bud Vanderbergh as the longest in World Series history.

It was a balanced offensive for the Manila girls as nine players contributed at least a run each. After opening with four runs in the first inning, they  tallied seven more in the second frame to put the game away.

Inspired by the support of the Filipino community, the Manila girls opened the game against Grand Rapids with two runs, manufactured by Joy Parilla and Belleza, which came after sacrifice bunts and aggressive base running.

Manila kept Grand Rapids at bay thanks to its resolute defense and Belleza, who threw 119 pitches, 66 percent of which were strikes.