By Adrian Stewart Co

Bago City, representing Asia-Pacific, salvaged a podium finish in the 2022 Junior League Softball World Series that ended over the weekend in Kirkland, Washington.

The Negros Occidental-based softball squad ended up with a bronze medal following a 3-0 beating of West representative Summerlin South Little League of Las Vegas in the third place game.

Althea Key Palzario struck out eight and yielded only three hits in a complete game shutout as Bago City capped off their campaign on a winning note.

Christine Jane Caracas opened the scoring for the Bago City squad on a Run By Innings single, as she and Froline Manalo were pushed home on an error.

The victory of the Philippine representatives, composed of players aged 12 to 14 years old, served as a bounce back from their 6-4 defeat to Southeast in the semifinals.

Bago City had a strong start in Pool A where they edged Latin America’s Willemstad, Curacao, 3-2, before needing six innings to beat Camden Wyoming, Delaware, 10-0, of the East region.

The Negrense softballers, however, ended their Pool matches with consecutive losses before they reached the quarterfinals round and scored a 6-0 domination of Southwest.

The Philippine representatives entered the competition with a goal of extending the Philippine reign in the Senior League tournament for female softball players ages 13 to 16 years old.

Tanauan City of Batangas ruled the 2018 edition after defeating Delaware in the championship game. No tournament was held in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bacolod City, meanwhile, failed to reach the next round after losing to Delaware D3 Region, 3-0, in the Senior League Softball World Series in Lower Sussex, Delaware./ASC, WDJ