PHL softball's Team Manila leads 2011 Big League world series

Team Manila, Asia-Pacific's representative in the 2011 Big League Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan, remained unbeaten Saturday, posting four consecutive wins to claim the top spot for now. Rizza Bernardo and Michelle Lentija made their impact in pitching and offense as their contingent defeated Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) and Michigan-Central, 12-0 and 4-1, respectively. Team Manila opened with back-to-back wins over Southwest representative Alice, Texas (10-0) and Canada (7-0) in the 10-team round-robin tournament. Host Kalamazoo and Delaware are also unbeaten, but have one victory less than Team Manila. They occupy second place with three wins each. Bernardo and Lentija pitched a no-hitter and combined for seven strikeouts against EMEA in an easy win that ended after the fifth inning. Lentija blasted a key hit in a two-run third inning while Bernardo drilled a two-run home run in the seventh to put the game away against Central. Lentija ripped a RBI single to score Veronica Belleza and put the Filipina softbelles ahead, 2-0, midway in the third. Central scored a run at the bottom of the third but Bernardo blasted a four-bagger after an Annalie Benjamen single. Belleza had five strikeouts on a one-run seven-hit complete game to shut down Michigan's offense. — Reuben Terrado/ER/JVP, GMA News