 |
| Fate members and their leaders celebrate after the victory. |
By Emz Frial
The all-Filipina softball team, Fate, kick-started the 4th season of the Hong Kong Softball Association games with a massive win over its local rival, Hysan, at Shek Kip Mei field on Oct. 23.
Through all four innings, Fate kept piling up points while leaving Hysan scoreless. The game ended on a score of 22-0 for Fate.
It was sweet victory for Fate, whose members spent all their Sundays off practicing, soon after the third season ended. Their perseverance paid off with their resounding victory against Hysan.
The game started off well for the Filipinas, who got the first chance to bat. A pitching error by Hysan’s Hon Yan Yin gave the first two batters of the away team, Liezeal Algonez and Myra Japitana, a free walk. Don Gaborno then blasted a short infield ball and was safe to first base, while Algonez ran off to third base, and Japitana to second base.
Ma. Eva Mendez then took her turn to bat, but she was caught on first base. Luckily, Algonez managed to make it to homebase.
After that, the Filipinas scored six more homes, courtesy of Japitana, Gaborno, Cherry Octaviano, Rubieline Ondayang, Editha Hidalgo and Romela Osabel.
When it was Hysan’s turn to bat, Chan Cheuk Shan hit the ball and managed to run to first base, but was put out to second afterwards. The same thing happened to the next batter, Chu Wia Ting who was able to run freely to first base after hitting the ball, but was put out to second base.
Next to bat was Cheung Ka Tung who got safely to first base but got stuck there when batter Hon Yan Yin was caught on a fly ball by Ondayang. The first inning ended with Fate well ahead, 7-0.
On the second inning five more Fate players add a point each to their score, making it 12-0 by the close. Those who scored were Algonez, Japitana, Gaborno, Mendez and Octaviano.
By this time, Fate had become more confident of fulfilling their goal of not allowing their rival to set a foot on homebase.
On the third inning, coach Ynez Badajos called for substitution and reshuffled the players to give the others a chance to play.
But even this strategy failed to stop Fate from piling on the points. Six players added a point each to the total score, making it 18-0 by the close of the third inning. Those who scored in this round were Maribel Sitchon, Gaborno, Eunice Locop, May Ledesma, Ondayang and Percy Jayme.
On the last and final inning the Filipinas scored four more points courtesy of Ynez Badajos, Sitchon, Gaborno and Locop, to add it all up to 22, with the locals still at nil.
But like good sports, Hysan happily shook hands with the Filipinas, and gamely posed for pictures with them afterwards.
Coach Badajos was obviously very pleased when she congratulated the team for a job well done. Fate manager Law Wai-ho was also very happy with the result of the game that she treated the players to a free lunch.
