TEAM Manila-Philippines downed defending champion Central Hemet Xplozion, 7-1, to win the 2017 Pony International 18-U Girls Softball World Series crown at the Diamond Valley Park in the Valley-Wide Recreation District in Hemet, California.
Alma Tauli, 16, had five strikeouts and in six innings of work.
Nichole Padasas, an 18-year-old player from Adamson who played in the 2015 Big League World Series, hit a solo home run in the second and Christine Bautista hit another home run in the fourth.
Khrisha Cantor earlier drove in Bautista and Shaina Camacho to put Team Manila ahead in the first.
“The girls deserve the win because we were able to keep our composure and were not intimidated by the defending champions so our errors were limited,” said head coach Ana Santiago.
It is the first win in the tournament by a team from Asia, according to Rodolfo Tingzon Sr., founder of Pony in the Philippines. The Big City Softbelles also won the crown in the 2012 Big League 18-U World Series. The Manila Batters were backed by Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and Mike and Lilli Khan and Larry Sy of Sunspring.
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