Cheska Altomonte hit a walkoff two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Philippine Blu Girls came back to beat Mexico, 7-6, yesterday and secure a seventh place finish in the World Cup of Softball at the Integris Field in Oklahoma City.
The starting catcher looped a single to shallow right field off loser Victoria Brown to score Arianne Vallestero and Reese Guevarra from third and second, respectively, to give the Blu Girls a dramatic win after trailing by four runs in the first five innings of the seeding match for seventh and eighth places.
In avoiding a last place finish in the eight-nation tournament, the Blu Girls ended their campaign on a high note after a stunning 7-5 victory over world No. 4-ranked Australia was followed by four consecutive losses.
Altomonte, who once played for Ateneo in the UAAP, tormented the Mexicans for the second straight day after her two-run homer lifted the Blu Girls to a 4-2 win Sunday Manila time.
She was also responsible for eventually sending the match to an extra inning when she hit a two-run homer off starter Cielo Meza in the bottom half of the sixth, completing the Blu Girls’ comeback from a 6-2 deficit.
Mexico, however, took the lead in the top half of the eighth when Irene Rivera touched home from third off a sacrifice fly by Tiffany Lane-Rojas.