Manila gains finals berth

Peaking at the right time, Team Manila whipped the US Southwest squad from West Monroe, Louisiana, 6-1, Tuesday to book a return trip to the Big League Softball World Series finals at the Vanderberg Park in Kalamazoo, Michigan.   The Manila softbelles peppered the Americans with 13 hits while pitchers Julie Marie Muyco, Veronica Belleza and Melanie Macatangay combined to hold West Monroe to just two hits.   Manila thus finished with a 6-2 record in the elimination-round, earning a shot at the title Thursday against US Central team Grand Rapids, Michigan, the same team that beat the Filipinos, 2-1, in the 2008 title match.   The championship match is set at 8 p.m. Wednesday (8 a.m. Thursday in Manila) and will be beamed live on national TV via ESPN2 in the United States.   “I think we’ll get the championship this time,” said a confident Randy Dizer, who coaches the Manila squad together with Ana Santiago and Filomeno “Boy” Codinera.   Travel-weary and sleep-deprived, the Filipinos dropped their first two matches, including a 1-2 decision to Grand Rapids in their first game.   But Santiago said Grand Rapids will be facing a “better team” than the one they faced in the elimination-round.   “The girls are playing better and better,” said Santiago. “We haven’t forgotten about the loss in 2008 (finals) and we want to avenge that and finally bring home the title.” Manila lost the finals two years ago via a walk-off homerun with two outs in the seventh and last inning.   Already assured of a spot in the finals, Grand Rapids pulled its punches and bowed to US East, 2-5, for a pacesetting 7-1 record in the eliminations.   The batting power of the Filipinos was in full display against Louisiana with Belleza belting three hits, including a double, and Nerissa Benjamen, Isabel Gomez and Marlyn Francisco blasting two hits apiece.  Macatangay and Elvie Entrina also hit a double each while Maris Garde added a single for the Manila softbelles, the reigning Asia-Pacific champions.