PONY Phl hosts Aspac Mustang 9-10 championship

The road to the World Series begins in Tanauan, Batangas tomorrow as the Philippines and Asian rivals battle it out in the Asia Pacific Zone Mustang 9 and Mustang 10 Championships May 31-June 2 at the Tanauan City Sports Academy.

Hosted by PONY Philippines headed by Tot Baseball president Boy Tingzon and cohosted by Tanauan Mayor Thony Halili, the three-day meet features Phl, Indonesia and Vietnam in a spirited dispute for regional supremacy and entry into the world meet.

The Filipinos, perennial champs in the nine-year-old bracket, defend their throne against vastly improved Indonesia, eyeing a return stint in the PONY International Mustang-9 World Series set July 27-30 in Walnut, California.

Their counterparts in the 10-year-old hostilities, meanwhile, aim to regain the crown after yielding to the Indonesians last year in Singapore. Aside from Indonesia, the Pinoy batters also have to contend with Vietnam as they bid to soar back to the summit and return to the Mustang-10 World Series slated Aug. 3-6 in Youngsville, Louisiana.

“We anticipate the games to be very competitive because to be part of the World Series is already an honor,” said Tingzon, who stressed that only champion teams from the eight PONY zones, namely North, East, West and South Zones of the USA and the Mexican, Caribbean, European and Asian Zones, can compete in the World Series.

The event presented by HMR Trading Haus and LORO Sports will open 9 a.m. with Tanauan executives and Rodolfo “Totoy” Tingzon, father of youth baseball, expected to attend.