A pair of heartbreaking defeats eliminated the RP Blu Boys from the 18th WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup group stage on Sunday afternoon (Manila time).
The Philippines lost a close game against undefeated Venezuela in extra innings to start the day, 2-3, before bowing to Czechia in the afternoon, 2-4, both at the Estadio Mundialistas Hermosillenses in Mexico.
Entering the final day of eliminations, the Nationals still had a chance to enter the battle for third place, but it was not meant to be. They finished last in Group A with a 1-4 record, while the three higher teams all ended at 2-3.
Despite giving up nine hits in his five innings pitched, Blu Boys starting pitcher Reagan Parco, in his first game of the tournament, limited the now 5-0 Venezuela to just two runs off a homer to dead center by Carlos Alvarez, which also scored David Galeno to make it 2-1 for Venezuela.
It was the Philippines who actually scored first, as Kobe Torres, who hit a three-bagger to open the bottom of the second inning, reached home off an error for a 1-0 early lead.
Justine Rosales then hammered a huge double to left center in the sixth inning that brought Norwen Lucas to the plate to tie the match at 2-2.
Alvarez was placed on second base to start the eighth inning, eventually scoring off a Rafael Flores base hit to left field for the winning run.
Melvin De Castro was the Filipino slugger placed on second base in the bottom of the eighth, while Lucas earned a walk.
With two outs, both De Castro and Lucas advanced a base each off a wild pitch, forcing Venezuela to walk Torres, which loaded the bases but gave them more chances for an easy out.
That plan worked to perfection as Mark Sarmiento hit a grounder for the force out at second base, securing the win for Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Tomas Klein and Mikulas Klas both homered for Czechia, while Patrik Kopecny also scored off a Blu Boys error as they ended their run with back-to-back wins after going winless in the first three games.
For the Philippines, Francis Generoso and Sarmiento delivered the two runs.
