CANDON, Ilocos Sur — Charlotte Sales homered for the second straight game as the Philippine Blu Girls routed host Peru, 13-0, in just four innings on Sunday to secure fifth place in the group phase of the 2026 Women’s Softball World Cup.
The Philippines came out firing, erupting for all 13 of its runs in the opening inning.
The Blu Girls pounded out six singles, two doubles, and a home run in the first, while also capitalizing on two Peruvian errors, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch.
The biggest blow came from Sales, whose three-run homer to deep left field scored Angelu Gabriel and team captain Cheska Altomonte to make it 6-0.
The University of Santo Tomas product wasn’t done, as she added an RBI double to dead center in her second plate appearance of the inning.
Pitcher Kikay Palma tossed a complete-game two-hitter, allowing just two hits in the four-inning victory. Sales, meanwhile, finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and ended the tournament with a .462 batting average as the Blu Girls wrapped up their campaign at the Villa María del Triunfo Sports Complex in Lima.
Later in the day, defending champion and world No. 1 Japan secured its return to the 2027 Women’s Softball World Cup Finals by edging Puerto Rico, 2-1.
Puerto Rico then bounced back to defeat Venezuela, 8-1, in the repechage to claim the other Finals berth.
The top two teams from each of the tournament’s three groups qualify for the 2027 Finals, which will be held in Australia in April 2027, with two additional wildcard berths also available.
