SEA Games: Gold ‘in the bag’ as PH Blu Girls enter softball final

NEW CLARK CITY — The Blu Girls stormed to the gold medal round but the Blu Boys will have to get through the wringer first after losing in the semifinals Friday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games softball competitions.

Flashing its usual flair, the national women’s squad blasted Malaysia, 12-0, in the semifinal at The Villages in Mabalacat town in Pampanga.

The Blu Girls are now waiting for the result of the other semis match between Indonesia and Singapore to determine their foe in the finals.

“It’s in the bag no matter who we are facing,” said Amateur Softball Association-Philippines top official Jun Veloso.

But the men’s team wasn’t as lucky as Singapore pulled the rug from under it with a 4-3 win in the semi.

It was a revenge win for the Singaporeans who, after stunning the Philippines earlier this year in the Worlds, dropped an 8-0 decision to the host last Wednesday at the end of the eliminations.

Singapore scored on a two-run homer — with two outs — in the third for a 4-1 lead.

But the Blu Boys still have a chance through the Page system. The format allows them to face the winner between ranked 3 and 4 teams (Indonesia and Thailand) for a chance to challenge Singapore in the final.