The Philippine Men’s National Baseball Team began its quest for a ‘five-peat’ in the 2024 BFA XIV East Asia Cup with a dominant 13-1 victory over Indonesia, delighting the home crowd at the Clark International Sports Complex in Pampanga on Tuesday.
The Filipinos took an early lead in the three-team Pool B, holding a 1-0 record.
The other team in the group is Singapore, whom the Philippines will face tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.
The Philippines opened strong, draining Indonesia’s momentum with an impressive two-out rally in the bottom of the first inning, scoring six runs right off the bat.
Key contributions came from designated hitter Mark Beronilla, who hit a triple, first baseman Harper Sy, catcher Steven Manaig, and an error by Indonesian shortstop Diva Reza Fabil.
The home team then added one run in the second inning, two in the third, two in the fifth, and two more in the sixth for a 13-1 lead.
Right-handed pitcher Paulo Macasaet closed out the game in the top of the seventh inning, throwing a 1-2-3 inning to enforce the mercy rule.
Shortstop Agon De Vera, Sy, and Beronilla led the Philippine offense, each recording two hits and two RBIs, while veteran second baseman Aids Bernardo contributed two runs and a hit.
Romeo Jasmin picked up the win for the home team, while Muhammad Akbar took the loss for Indonesia after just one and one-third innings pitched, allowing seven runs.
In additional matchups, Hong Kong triumphed over Malaysia with a score of 16-1 in just five innings, while Thailand secured a victory against Cambodia, finishing 14-4 in seven innings.
The Filipino batters have dominated the previous four editions of the tournament since the Baseball Federation of Asia split the Asia Baseball Cup into East and West divisions.
The top two teams from Pools A and B will advance to the Super Round, where the best two squads will compete for the title.
