World Cup-bound RP Blu Girls settled for fourth place in the 2023 Women Softball Asia Cup after faltering against Chinese Taipei, 10-5, in the battle for bronze at the LNG Stadium in Incheon, South Korea.
With the Philippines entering the big stage as the wildcard from Asia, the Blu Girls will be in Group C and will play on July 22 to 26, 2023 in Italy.
Group C is composed of world no. 4 Canada, no. 8 Italy, no. 22 Venezuela, no. 28 New Zealand, and the winner of the gold medal match between Japan and China.
A two-out rally propelled the Blu Girls to a 4-0 early lead at the top of the first inning with Alaiza Talisik starting it with a run-batted-in single that sent home Angelu Gabriel.
Khrisha Cantor then scored Talisik off a single before Elsie Dela Torre singled down the left field to bring home CJ Roa and Cantor.
But Chinese Taipei answered with three runs of its own at the bottom half to inch within one, 3-4.
MJ Maguad’s sacrifice fly to center then scored Charlotte Sales in the second stanza, 5-3, but that would be the Philippines’ last run of the match as Ya-Ting Tu took over starting pitcher Hsia-Ai Ke and only allowed two hits the rest of the way.
Cleanup hitter Chia-Yo Chen was responsible for four runs of Chinese Taipei on two doubles and one sac fly, while third baseman Chia-Hui Ko had three RBIs on a two-run dinger and a sac fly as well.
The Philippines utilized four pitchers in Ezra Jalandoni, Glory Alonzo, Ann Antolihao, and Kikay Palma.
