The Philippine Women’s National Baseball Team is racing against time.
With the 2020 Women’s Baseball World Cup just two months away, the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association is hoping that the national team is cleared to enter the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna this week.
“We hope that we get clearance since this is a world event,” said PABA vice president Boy Tingzon during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum, which is powered by SMART and Upstream Media and is supported by San Miguel Corporation, Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
The World Cup takes place from March 1 to 9 in Tijuana, Mexico.
With the World Baseball and Softball Confederation expecting all the teams to arrive by the third week of February, time is of the essence for the nationals.
“Our primary concern is the women’s team to the World Cup,” expressed PABA secretary-general Pepe Munoz.
Already cleared to train in Inspire are the men’s basketball, boxing, taekwondo, and karate national teams.
The team that has Egay Delos Reyes as head coach has been limited to conditioning training using online video conferencing platform Zoom.
2019 BFA Best Third Baseman Ghene Nietes and Best Pitcher Clariz Palma headline the team.
Some of the other members of the squad are Esmeralda Tayag, Sherylou Valenzuela, Mharnie Dela Cruz, Alaiza Talisik, Ivy Capistrano, Diana Balderama, Mean Ramos, Nicole Ordoyo, Jojielyn Lim, Elaine Bacarisas, Erika Olfato, and Jennifer Singh.
Other nations competing in the ninth edition of the tournament are the USA, Canada, Venezuela, Mexico, France, Japan, Chinese-Taipei, Australia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and the Netherlands.
“Some teams have already backed out but we are not sure already did,” said Munoz.
The Philippines qualified for the global meet after placing third in the 2019 Asian Cup.
