BLU BOYS BRACE FOR 2 TOURNEYS

PHL softball squad prepares for 2 big tournaments in 2015—World finals, SEA Games

THE Philippine men’s national softball team, RP Blu Boys, will be back on the international stage for the 14th International Softball Federation (ISF) men’s Softball World Championship in Canada on June 26.

The national squad earned the coveted slot after winning a silver medal in the 14th Asian men’s Softball Championship qualifier in Singapore last December.

Only the top three in that tournament advanced to the world finals.

Joining the Philippines are gold medalist Japan and bronze medalist Indonesia.

There are five Cebuanos under the PHL team including the bench chieftain Isaac Bacarisas of Punta Princesa. The Cebuanos in the team are Jasper Cabrera, Ben Maravilles, Oscar Bradshaw IV and Jerome Bacarisas.

Before the World Championships, the national squad will gear up for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in June in Singapore.

Head coach Bacarisas, who was also a long-time player for the Blu Boys, said the the PHL team is a consistent SEA Games gold medal winner.

Isaac was recruited back to the national team last November.

His previous stint as the national team’s coach was back in 2009, where they finished ninth out of 16 countries in the World Championships.

“We have a great performance in 2009; we almost made it to the quarterfinals and just fell short in the quotient tie with Denmark and Great Britian,” he said.

“Right now I can’t say the strength of the current roster among the teams of the world since I was away from the team on the 2011 World Championships. But based on our performance in the Asian qualifier, I think we have to work more,” Bacarisas told Sun. Star Cebu yesterday.

The softball national team is currently doing its routines and trainings for the two big events on the horizon. But coach Bacarisas pointed out the problem that lurks in the shadows.

“Most of my players will undergo the Philippine Military Training (PMI) next month. If this pushes through. I will lose seven players on my roster for our bid in the SEA Games and the World Championship,” he said.

“This will be a problem since I will have to hold a try-out to get new players. There are players available but it will take a toll since we have to go back to square one. The current lineup have trained together and we have already worked on teamwork and plays,” added Bacarisas.

Bacarisas added that the PMI has yet to be finalized and is still under the negotiation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Sports Commission.

“We have requested if they could postpone the training since there are two events coming for the team,” he said.

Aside from the Cebuano players, the roster also has Apolinio Rosales, Sonny Acuña, Isidro Abello, Marlon and Michael Pagkaliwagan, Leo Barredo, Gregorio Marquez, Anthony Olaez, Jon Jon Robles, Joseph Orillana, Christian Galledo, Edmer Del Socorro, Denmark Bathan, Emeson Atillo, Christian Paul de Leon, Vermon Diaz, and Alvin Pagkaliwagan.

Joining Bacarisas in the coaching staff are assistant coaches Alejandro Estipular and Noel Bumagat, and pitching coach Raymundo Pagkaliwagan.

For Bacarisas, the countries Australia, New Zealand and Venezuela are the top contenders in the World Championships.