THE Blu Boys may have missed the Super Round of the recent Men’s Softball World Cup but gave the country a reason to celebrate with their top 10 finish.
Without a win in their first five games marked with closed games against eventual third placer United States, 0-1 and Cuba, 1-3, the Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Boys posted back-to-back shutout wins over higher-ranked Denmark (No. 10), 8-0, and South Africa (No. 11), 4-0, for a respectable 10th place finish.
The Blu Boys were the lowest ranked qualifier at No. 21 among the 12 teams that played in the competition and are bound to improve on their world rankings.
Canada and Australia will dispute the championship. The US finished off dethroned champion Argentina, 2-0, in the battle for third place.
“As I said, our participation was a good opportunity for the boys to test themselves against the world’s best teams,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines. “I’m very elated with their performance particularly their games against Denmark and South Africa.”
“A top 10 finish in a team sport in any world competition is always something to be proud of,” added Lhuillier as he made special mention of pitcher Leo Barredo who held his ground on the mount against the world’s best.