The Philippines demolished Peru, 13-0, in four innings to formally claim fifth place in the group stage of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup on Sunday in Lima, Peru.
The Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls closed the preliminary round with an 8-0 victory over the same team on Saturday to finish with a 2-3 record, tied with Great Britian at fourth place behind Japan (5-0), Puerto Rico (3-2) and Venezuela (3-2).
The Philippines, however, was relegated to the number five spot by virtue of the winner over the other rule against Great Britain and battled Peru in a playoff for fifth place.
The final match of the Filipinos in Lima turned out to be their best performance in the tournament but was not enough to catapult the Philippines to the next round.
The Blu Girls put the game out of reach almost immediately, sending 17 batters to the plate in a remarkable first inning. They pounded out 10 hits and scored all 13 of their runs in one relentless offensive surge, leaving Peru with no opportunity to recover. Charlotte Sales spearheaded the attack, going perfect at 3-for-3 with four RBIs, including her second consecutive home run of the tournament, as the Philippines finished with 11 hits in a commanding display at the plate. The Blu Girls were equally dominant on defense. Pitcher Royevel Palma earned her first victory in the tournament after tossing a complete four-inning effort, limiting Peru to just two hits and one walk while striking out two. "This was exactly the kind of finish our Blu Girls deserved," said Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asa-Phil) president Jean Henri Lhuillier. The Philippines, ranked 13th in the world, entered the win column in the tournament with a dramatic comeback victory over world No. 3 Puerto Rico.
"They showed tremendous resilience throughout the tournament, facing some of the world's strongest softball nations with courage and determination. To end our campaign with such a dominant performance speaks volumes about this team's character, talent, and potential. I couldn't be prouder of how they represented the Philippines, and I know this experience will serve as a foundation for even greater success in the years ahead," added Lhuillier, who is also president and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier. Lhuillier is looking forward to an exciting future for the Blu Girls.
World No. 1 Japan topped the group stage after scoring a 2-1 victory over Puerto Rico in the playoff.
