Blu Girls short stop in last national team stint

Garie Blando: Future physician

NEW CLARK CITY—The Blu Girls’ Fil-American short stop Garie Blando is ready to start her new life outside the softball field.

But not until she gives the Philippines its 10th Southeast Asian Games gold medal.

“We’re on a good roll. We should be in the championship after the next two games and I don’t have a doubt that we’re gonna get the gold,” the 25-year-old Blando said. “Should be easy for us, we’re used to this.”

If she sounded too confident, it’s because the Philippines just scored its fourth straight win, an 11-0 blowout of Thailand at The Villages field here.

And she better be right, because this is her swan song as she returns to the United States after this to resume her sports medicine studies.

“It’s amazing, what a great opportunity to represent something more than yourself,” said Blando, who only arrived in the country on Dec. 1. “I am very proud to be Filipino, 100-percent Philippine blood.”

Blando’s parents were born in Manila but she was born and raised in Miami where, at age 10, she first picked up baseball.

“I didn’t know softball existed back then,” said Blando, who also helped the Blu Girls take the 2015 crown in the Singapore Games.

Blando’s mom is flying in this weekend to watch the finals, and watch her in action for the last time—in all likelihood—as a member of the Blu Girls.