The Philippine National Baseball U-18 team that is competing in the BFA U18 Asian Baseball Championship in Taiwan. –PABA PHOTO
The Philippines opened the 2024 Baseball Federation of Asia (BFA) Under-18 Asian Baseball Championship with back-to-back victories in Taiwan on Tuesday.
The U18 men’s baseball team kicked off the tournament with a 10-0 win over Sri Lanka on Monday then followed it up with a 4-2 victory over Hong Kong to stay undefeated so far in Group B.
The Philippines battles Japan in its remaining group assignment on Wednesday.
READ: PH baseball eyes bigger prize
The Super Round is scheduled for September 6 and 7 with the medal matches set September 8.
The event is being played at three venues with the No. 28 ranked Philippines seeing action at Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium in Taoyuan City.
The Philippine team is represented by the following players: Liam Alexei de Vera, Rance Emrick Faustino, Roman Gregory Fong, Ben Joebert Gorpido, Mario Labadan III, Chinelle Manabat, Aron Jesse Manguiat, Cedrick Kyle Marquez, Rinaldo Kyle Matti, Barry Gabriel Oñas, Joseph Emmanuel Paragas, Joshua Daniel Paragas, Zane Dale Prades, Lorenzo Joaquin Salvador, Brandon Sanchez, Jan Rein Soriano, Yuan Miguel Sumague, Aljun Tapia, Zephyr Tyler Tolentino, Laurance Andrei Valeros and Jan Stephen Ventanilla.
READ: Asian Games: PH team winds up fifth in men’s baseball
The coaching team is composed of Oscar Marcelino, Joseph Orillana, Keiji Katayama and Jon-Jon Robles with the delegation led by Raymond Tolentino.
According to the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, the roster was built after months of extensive nationwide tryouts, drawing out talent from all over the Philippines.
The top three of the Asian tournament will qualify for the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025.