Cheska Altamonte slammed a two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Philippine Blu Girls snapped a four-game losing skid with a 4-2 victory over Mexico yesterday Manila time in the World Cup of Softball at the Integris Field in Oklahoma City.
Altamonte sent a no-ball, one-strike pitch by starter Alyssa Loza past the centerfield wall with Reese Guevarra on first to break a 2-all tie.
Behind Altamonte’s round-tripper, the Blu Girls ended the classification phase with a 2-5 record, tied with Puerto Rico for fifth place. However, the Filipinas could be relegated in another match against the Mexicans for seventh place in the eight-team field.
It was the Blu Girls’ first win since their 7-5 win over Australia, ranked fourth in the world softball rankings. They lost their next four games by an average margin of 6.5 runs.
Sierra Lange fanned four batters in a complete-game effort for the Blu Girls, who took an early 2-0 lead in the second.
Ursabia singled on a pop fly, scoring Kailey Cuico from third with one out in the top of the second. Guevarra grounded into a fielder’s choice on the next at-bat, scoring Skylynne Ellazar from third.
But Mexico tied the count in the bottom half of the same inning when Sierra Rodriguez hit a run-scoring single and later reaching home plate on a sacrifice fly by Stefania Aradillas. (Jonas Terrado)