MANILA, Philippines — Gawad Kalinga Smokey Mountain trounced favored Sta. Cruz, Laguna, 13-3, Sunday night to clinch the Senior League softball title in the Philippine Series at Sumulong grounds in Marikina City.
Made up of kids from a housing project that sits on a former dumpsite, the Smokey Mountain batters banked on Lovely Joy Redaja to post a seven-game sweep and book a spot in the Asia-Pacific Regionals set June 30 to July 6 at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga.
The 16-year-old Redaja allowed just three hits and struck out 11 batters in six innings while blasting a Janel Cruz fastball over the fence for a three-run homer in the sixth inning.
Smokey Mountain thus avenged its 3-4 defeat to Sta. Cruz in last year’s finals in Tanauan City that sent the Laguna bets to the As Pac and eventually the World Series in Bangor, Maine.
On its way to the title, Smokey Mountain also blasted Naga, 21-0, Bulacan, 8-6, Dasmariñas, 6-4, and Sta. Cruz, 14-4, and Bulacan, 15-5.
In Little League baseball, Tanauan retained its crown by downing San Antonio, Zambales, 10-4, and moved a step closer to the World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, this year.
ILLAM struck in other fronts by topping Junior and Senior League baseball, both at the expense of Muntinlupa, 14-7 and 13-3.
Iloilo topped both Little and Junior League with a 20-0 whitewashing of Muntinlupa and a 12-1 rout of Makati, respectively.