Team Manila softbelles hang on, eliminate Delaware

TEAM MANILA rolled to a third straight victory by rallying past US East squad Laurel, Delaware, 5-3, Sunday (Monday in Manila) in the 2010 Big League (16-18) Softball World Series at the Vanderberg Park in Kalamazoo, Michigan.   Melanie Macatangay continued her solid play with two hits, including a single that sparked a four-run binge in the fourth inning as the Manila softbelles eliminated Delaware and improved to 3-2 for solo fourth.   Pitchers Julie Marie Muyco and Veronica Belleza also belted two hits each, while Isabel Gomez, Elvie Entrina and Marlyn Francisco had one each for Manila, which made changes to the batting rotation after dropping its first two matches.   “What helped a lot is the changes made in the batting lineup that helped build more runs,” said Little League Philippines district administrator Jolly Gomez, also a commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission.   Coaches Filomeno “Boy” Codinera, Randy Dizer and Ana Santiago also made key defensive adjustments, moving Entrina, a catcher, to third base in place of Karen Paghubasan. Outfield player Nerissa Benjamin also replaced Carol Banay in second base.   Maris Garde took Entrina’s place as catcher.   Muyco, as expected, pitched four solid innings, giving up two runs, before Belleza did another stellar relief job to preserve the win.   Belleza drove home Macatangay in the fourth inning, before rushing home after an error. Belleza also singled in the fifth inning to score Entrina for the team’s fifth and last run.   Manila faces another must-win match against host Kalamazoo today. Kalamazoo, running second with a 5-1 record, barely survived East, 2-1, Saturday.   “The morale of the team is very high,” said Gomez. “If we win all our games, we will surely make the finals.”