Team Manila chases PONY three-peat

Team Manila-Philippines aims to score a three-peat in the PONY International Girls Softball World Series set from 17 to 20 July in McAllen, Texas.

The team of coach Sheirylou Valenzuela admitted all eyes will be on the Filipina softbelles, who retained the U18 championship last year following an eighth-game sweep of the tournament, including a 6-0 shutout of home bet Glory Adkins Bejar in the title game.

Valenzuela specifically mentioned the team from Puerto Rico as one of the biggest threats in their bid for a third straight crown, saying that the coach of the Caribbean country vowed to get even against them this year.

“When I saw him last year, he told me that you beat me now so I’ll get back at you next year. During that time, his players were all new,” Valenzuela said during the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Tuesday.

Other than Puerto Rico, Manila councilor and Team Manila Softball President Rafael “Che” Borromeo also mentioned teams from the United States and Latin America as among those considered contenders in the four-day, annual meet.

“It’s not yet certain, but somebody told us that Japan and China might join,” Borromeo said.

“Puerto Rico and Mexico are the heavy contenders. With your prayers and help, hopefully, we’ll be able to win the title.”

Only three players from last year’s championship unit will be returning for another stint.

Most of the players came from Adamson University, De La Salle University, and Bacolod while adding the team has been in training for about two months now prior to its departure on 14 July.