Women’s baseball team eyes podium finish in Asian Cup

By Jonas Terrado

The national women’s baseball team is setting its sights on a podium finish in the Women’s Baseball Asian Cup set Nov. 9 to 15 in Zhongshan, China.

Coach Egay delos Reyes expressed confidence that the Pinay batters have a strong chance of fulfilling such goal in the tournament which serves as a qualifier to next year’s Women’s Baseball Cup.

“Definitely malakas ang mga kalaban namin dun lalo na ang Japan,” Delos Reyes said. “Ang aim namin is that we finish within the top three at sa tingin ko naman may chance tayo.”

The Philippines was drawn in Group B along with South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, with the top two teams advancing to the Super Round.

Host China, Japan, India and Pakistan comprise Group A.

It will be the major tournament since the team was formed last year, and would have been a good preparation for the 30th Southeast Asian Games which the Philippines will host later this month.

Women’s baseball was supposed to be held in the upcoming biennial meet but was scrapped after failing to get the minimum entry of four countries.

Only the Philippines and Indonesia were able to submit entries to the tournament, Delos Reyes said.

“Sayang kasi sa tingin namin kung may SEA Games, sure gold tayo,” Delos Reyes said. “Kasi part ng preparation namin is we play them against high school and college teams na lalaki and they show potential at nakaka-catch up naman sila.”

The team will be composed of veteran and young players from the local softball scene, namely Clarice Palma, Esmeralda Tayag, Edna Severino, Charlotte Sales and Lealyn Guevarra.

Source: Manila Bulletin