ILLAM, Rizal win senior, big league crowns

MANILA, Philippines – International Little League of Manila (ILLAM) and Rizal captured the senior (14-16) and big league (16-18) softball titles respectively in the 2009 Little League Philippine Series. ILLAM stunned Bacolod City-West, 7-2, in the senior league championship game while Rizal downed ILLAM-Manila, 3-2, in the big league title match Saturday at the Rizal Park. ILLAM avenged its 14-1 loss to Bacolod City-West in the elimination round. Bacolod-West went undefeated entering the championship game. Rizal, meanwhile, beat a mixture of players from ILLAM and Manila, which placed second place in the 2008 Big League World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan. ILLAM will represent the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific qualifier to the 2009 Senior League World Series which will be held on August 9 to 15 in Lower Sussex, Delaware. Rizal, on the other hand, will also be the Philippine representative for the Asia-Pacific qualifier for the 2009 Big League World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan. – GMANews.TV