POOL PLAY PASSES HALFWAY POINT

(pictured at right: Mexico's Monica Rosas fires first-inning pitch in a game against Miami Florida's SF Contenders-ER)

The biggest story of Day 3 had to be the team from the Philippines making their arrival in a big way. Delayed due to visa problems, the team was finally together in Plant City, Florida (USA) this morning, in time for their game at 9 a.m. – the first of three on the day for the team since their games from yesterday had to be re-scheduled in their absence. By the time they went back to their hotel they’d earned some much needed sleep, and not just from the hectic trip. They won their trio of games today by a combined score of 19-3, putting them tied for the lead in Pool A with the Tampa (Florida) Spartans, who’ve actually given up four more runs than the Philippines.

A couple games today came under the category of what might be considered “upsets.” The 0-2 SF Contenders-ER from Miami, Florida edged the previously unbeaten California Cruisers (San Luis Obispo), 2-1. Also, 0-3 Venezuela closed out the day with a 2-1 triumph over the Sarasota (Florida) Quicksilver, who had begun the day 2-0.

All three Pool C teams that began the day at 2-0 lost one game today. And in Pool E, the Jacksonville Storm suffered their first loss as well, after having started 3-0 with 30 runs for and only two against.

An exciting game played out in Pool B when Chinese Taipei took on Team FLA (Palm Harbor, Florida). Team FLA broke out with a five-run second inning, and then upped their lead to 6-0 with another run in the top of the fourth. But Chinese Taipei kept on coming, and scored four times in the bottom of the seventh, before falling short. They reversed their fortunes in the last game of the day though, breaking a 1-1 tie with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to beat the Davie Power Black.

Not to be outdone, the Sarasota (Florida) Quicksilver and SF Connexion (Miami, Florida) took “nailbiter” up a notch, needing an extra inning for the latter to win 2-1. The game was scoreless after the seven regulation innings, and the Quicksilver got the game’s first run when Allison Greene scored in the top of the eighth, but the Connexion countered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

Play continues tomorrow morning with five games all starting at 9 a.m. Pool play will conclude after (five) games (each) at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., followed by games that will mark the beginning of bracket play. The event is taking place in Plant City Stadium and the adjacent Randy L. Larson Softball Fourplex and is free and open to the public (only a small parking fee is being charged). Games continue Saturday, with the medal games on Sunday.

Day 3 Results

POOL A
Philippines 1, Stacey’s Stars 0
Stacey’s Stars 4, SF Contenders-VG 1
Philippines 13, Dupage Side Kicks 0
Stacey’s Stars 6, RGV Road Runners 1
Philippines 5, SF Contenders-VG 3

POOL B
Lilburn T-Birds 7, Ukraine 0
Dave Power 4, Nitro Girlz 3
Team FLA 6, Chinese Taipei 4
Nitro Girlz 9, Ukraine 1
Chinese Taipei 4, Davie Power 1

POOL C
Twilight Twisters 7, Mexico 3
SF Contenders-ER 2, California Cruisers 1
Rock N Fire 2, Tampa Mustangs 0
SF Contenders-ER 9, Mexico 2
California Cruisers 1, Rock N Fire 0

POOL D
Shogun 7, Venezuela 5
SF Connexion 2, Sarasota Quicksilver 1
Texas Rage 3, East Cobb Angels 2
SF Connexion 4, Texas Rage 1
Venezuela 2, Sarasota Quicksilver 1

POOL E
SWF Scream 10, Guatemala 1
Miami Mini Canes 7, Lady Knights 1
Jacksonville Storm 9, Jamaica 0
SWF Scream 12, Lady Knights 2
Miami Mini Canes 2, Jacksonville Storm 1

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