By Emz GabornoFate B, the all-Filipina team in Bracket B of the Hong Kong women's softball league, took a narrow 9-11 loss to rivals Wei Lun Elite at Shek Kip Mei field on Feb. 28 due to what coach Zenny Badajos called a lack of unity.
“Walang pagkakaisa, iilan lang ang gumagalaw at nag-e-effort para sa laro,” Badajos said as the sluggers gathered on the bench for post-game review of their performance.
“Kung tutuusin mahina sila, hindi sila mabilis gumalaw at hindi sila ganun kagaling para matalo nila tayo. Pero bakit nanalo sila? Dahil nagkakaisa silang lahat para sa team nila. Kaya dapat ganun tayo!” Badajos added.
Maribel Sitchon batted first for away team Fate and was given a free walk to first base on Elite’s pitching error. Then Percy Jayme batted and ran to first base while Sitchon cruised to second base.
From there Sitchon dashed to home base safely, but Jayme was put out on second base when she attempted to run to third base. A pitching error of Elite gave Badajos a free walk, while Don Gaborno was caught on a fly ball by a rival short stop.
Ma. Eva Mendez, a former Philippine National Team player, was also caught by the leftfielder on a fly ball.
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| Don Gaborno (left) tries to beat the ball to first base in the Sluggers' second inning against Fortissimo. Photo: Philippine Sluggers |
When Elite took over the batting stand, Fate pitcher Gaborno’s fast balls caught batters Lee (17) and Tam (27) standing out.
But Chan (22) slammed another outfield ball that took her to second base, while base runner Tsz sailed to home base unhampered. Chan added to the score on a hit by Ngai Hin (8) and later made it to home base when another Chan (31) stuck the ball to the outfiled, but failed to reach home base when batter Wong (34) was caught on first base.
Fate scored a second run in the second inning by Grace Andres, while the locals added two via Lee and Tam.
Badajos reshuffled her infielders when first baseman Andres missed two pass balls that allowed the locals to increase their score.
The Filipinas fought bravely in their third inning as they strove to reduce Elite’s lead with Gaborno, Mendez and Andres.
At the last inning of Fate, Badajos blasted a long outfield ball that took the varsity player to second base. She then sailed to home base unhampered when Gaborno slammed another outfield ball and cruised safely to second.
Mendez also hit a long outfield ball and to get safely to second base, as Gaborno dashed to home base safely. Mendez ran towards the home plate when Andres batted but was caught by the fleet-footed locals just a few steps away from the home plate.
At Elite’s last chance on batting plate, Lee blasted an outfield ball that took her to second base. Then she ran home unopposed when Tam batted a land drive to the center outfield that shortstop Badajos failed to stop.
The Filipinas were rattled when a passing error by Badajos to first baseman Espano gave base runner Tam a chance to run home and Tsz, to second base.
Chan (22) blasted a strike that allowed her to run safely to first base and Tsz to third. Ngai Hin also hit and sailed safely to first base.
With the bases loaded, the Filipinas panicked as they tried to stop Elite from scoring further. But Tsz, Chan (22), Ngai and Chan (31) added four runs for the locals’ 11.
