The Philippine women’s softball team delivered one of the biggest upsets in the group stage of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup, rallying from three runs down in their final at-bat to defeat world No. 3 Puerto Rico, 5-4, on Friday (Manila time) in Lima, Peru.
Trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls mounted a remarkable comeback as Skylynne Ellazar ignited the rally with a two-run double off the left-field wall to trim the deficit to one before Alyssa Daniell drove in the tying run with an RBI single.
With the momentum firmly on the Philippines' side, Nicole Hammoude delivered the biggest hit of the game, lining a shot to center field to score the winning run and complete the dramatic walk-off victory over one of the tournament favorites.
The comeback was made possible by a composed pitching effort from Glory Alonzo, who kept the Philippines within striking distance by allowing just two runs on two hits over five solid innings. Royevel Palma then shut the door with a scoreless seventh inning to earn the win, while Puerto Rico's bullpen surrendered a three-run lead after starter Giselle Juarez held the Blu Girls to just one run through the first five innings.
"This victory is a testament to the character of our Blu Girls," said Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asa-Phil) president Jean Henri Lhuillier.
"They never stopped believing, even when they were down to their final inning against one of the best teams in the world. That resilience, composure, and fighting spirit are what define Philippine softball. We're incredibly proud of how they responded, and I hope this win gives them even greater confidence as they continue their campaign," added Lhuillier, who is also president and CEO Cebuana Lhuillier.
The Blu Girls, however, returned to the field just hours later for the second game of their double-header and fell to Great Britain, 5-0.
Georgina Corrick tossed a one-hit complete-game shutout, striking out nine without issuing a walk, while Great Britain scored all five of its runs in the fourth inning behind RBI hits from Kaitlyn Parisi, Tia Warsop, Jahni Kerr, and Jenna Thompson. Pinch hitter Sydney Vitangcol recorded the Philippines' lone hit, while Mary Alpitche provided another strong relief outing with three scoreless innings after replacing starter Royevel Palma.
With one victory now under their belt, the Blu Girls head into their final group-stage assignment against host nation Peru determined to finish the tournament on a high note and continue building on the confidence gained from their memorable comeback against world No. 3 Puerto Rico.
