Team Manila hurdled its first test in the Big League Softball World Series Tuesday by nipping Puerto Rico, 10-9, in extra innings at Layton Field in Lower Sussex, Delaware.
Lorna Adorable belted a single at the bottom of the eighth inning, sending pinch runner Reizel Calumbres to home plate for the winning run as the Manila softbelles fashioned out the win after almost three hours.
Christy Joy Roa also sparkled with a couple of defensive plays at the top of the eighth inning that denied the Latin Americans from taking advantage.
“Puerto Rico has always been a strong team in the Big League, they are fast-developing and I think they will be a contender for the title,” said Manila Little League president Rafael “Che” Borromeo.
“I’m proud of the players,” said Manila head coach Ana Santiago “They did not give up.”
A three-run homerun from Queenie Sabobo gave Manila a 4-0 lead at the bottom of the second inning.
But the Latin Americans cut the lead to 3-4 in the next frame before the Filipinos scored four more runs at the bottom of the fourth for an 8-4 advantage.
A grandslam homerun by Liz Rivera tied the game at 8-all at the top of the fifth and Puerto Rico finally took the lead on a Rosalina Villanueva hit at the top of the sixth.
Manila managed to forge extra innings when Florabelle Pabiana scored off a single from second base Lovely Dyan Arago
Manila will face unbeaten USA East, represented by Milford, Delaware, on Wednesday.