Illam nails 4 of 8 crowns

Bannered by World Series veterans, International Little League Association of Manila (Illam) again underscored its dominance by bagging four of the eight championships in the 2011 Philippine Series that ended Sunday in Lipa City.

Illam captured the centerpiece Little League (11-12) baseball crown as well as the Junior (13-14) and Big League (16-18) titles.

Its lone victory in softball came in the Senior League (14-16) division, where it defeated powerhouse Bacolod, 9-6, in the title match.

A talent-laden Tanauan grabbed the Senior League (14-16) baseball plum after blanking Muntinlupa, 12-0, even as Muntinlupa scored a breakthrough victory in Little League (11-12) softball.

Softball hotbed Bacolod retained its Junior League crown with a 9-4 triumph over GK Smokey Mountain, while Manila repeated in the Big League division after overcoming GK Smokey Mountain, 7-2.

This year’s tournament marked the first time that four different squads won the softball championships.

Illam will move on to the Asia-Pacific Little League baseball tournament in Guam in June. Another Illam squad will proceed to the Junior League tournament in Indonesia.

Manila will be the site of the As-Pac Senior League and Big League baseball events, while Bacolod will play host to all divisions of the As-Pac softball event in June.

Eighty teams saw action in the weeklong tournament in Lipa with the Little League baseball tournament drawing the most number of squads with 31.

Illam won the championship match against Tanauan, 10-2, after scoring six runs in the second inning.
Lipa finished third.