Pinoy batters beat Canada in World Series opener

MANILA, Philippines – International Little League of Manila (ILLAM) opened its campaign for a possible return in the Junior League Baseball World Series finals with a 6-4 win against Canada on Monday at Heritage Park in Taylor, Michigan. ILLAM, representing the Asia-Pacific region, was never threatened, displaying crisp hitting and good pitching against the Coquitlam Little League of British Columbia. Lead-off batter Jose Miguel San Juan had two RBIs and scored one run, while Lorenzo Ramos and Charles Catangui combined for four-of-seven with the latter also emerging as the winning pitcher. ILLAM led by 6-2 before the Canadians, carrying the colors of Canada, scored a run each in the sixth and seventh innings for the final tally. ILLAM, which still has four members of the team that entered the finals last year, will next face Beto Avila Little League of Vera Cruz Mexico in their next International pool assignment. ILLAM finished second to Pearl City, Hawaii in last year’s World Series finals, losing 6-2 to the West division representatives. Meanwhile, Team Manila, competing in the Big League Softball World Series, debuted in style by sweeping their Monday doubleheader at Vanderberg Park in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The team, being handled by Filomeno Codinera Jr., displayed the true stuff they are made of with a come-from-behind eight-inning victory against Canada, 9-8, then returned later in the day and scored a 12-2 rout of Laredo of Texas to take the solo lead in Pool B. – GMANews.TV