Hard work up for WC-bound squad

The Philippine women’s baseball team, just hours after formally making it to the 2020 WBSC World Cup for the first time, will do everything it would take to make sure that it does the country proud in the sport’s biggest stage.

The Filipino batters advanced to the World Women’s Baseball Cup after finishing third in the 2019 Baseball Federation Asia Women’s Cup in China.

They achieved the feat at the expense of the host Chinese, whom the Nationals walloped, 11-1, in just five innings on Saturday night at Panda Stadium in Guangdong.

“It was a fabulous job and excellent work by everyone,” said Chito Loyzaga, president of the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (Paba). “Today, Philippine women’s baseball is third best in Asia. Tomorrow, we challenge the world.”

Also booking their spots in the 2020 World Cup are eventual champion Japan, second-placer Chinese Taipei and the Chinese, who also bowed to the Filipinos earlier, 6-2, during the preliminaries.

“Our working committee will meet to craft their training program in preparation for the World Cup next year,” said Loyzaga.

Clariz Palma from Bacolod City was named pitcher with the best win-loss average while Iloilo City’s Whell Ghene Camral was chosen third baseman in the tournament’s all-star squad.

The Philippines began its campaign by carving out a 12-3 whacking of Hong Kong, ranked 10th in the world, before crushing the South Koreans, 14-7.