All-Filipina softball team Fate A turned back an early lead by TB to beat the local rivals 12-9 in a Hong Kong Softball Association women’s league match at Tin Kwong Field on May 29.
The victory avenged Fate’s controversial loss to the same team on Apr 17 in the annual Festival of Sports, a yearly knockout event for all Hong Kong softball teams. The Pinays had blamed alleged biased calls by the umpires for the defeat.
So, when both teams met again on May 29, Fate was all psyched up to prove it could defeat its tormentor in a fair game and regain its pride.
The game started with a home run by the locals’ first batter, Ng Tsz-yan. The next three batters, Yeung Rui-yi, Tam Wing-ying and Yeung Kit-ling, also scored a run each that put TB ahead, 4-0, in the first inning.
When Fate took over the batting plate, first batter Zenny Badajos set off a scoring run that was followed by Myra Japitana and Liezel Algonez, to end the inning at 4-3.
In the second inning, Badajos switched Fate’s infielders and outfielders in a reshuffle that strengthened its defense.
TB scored two more runs via Wong Hin-ning and Ng Wing-hin, but the Filipinas responded, also with two runs, courtesy of Eunice Locop and Ma. Eva Mendez to end the inning at 6-5.
Tight defense by first baseman Japitana and second baseman Cherry Octaviano left no room for the Hong Kong sluggers to score in the third inning. TB’s three consecutive batters were caught on the first base by passes from Octaviano to Japitana.
At Fate's turn to bat, TB changed its pitcher in a move that threw the team off balance and gave the Filipinas a scoring chance.
An error by the new pitcher adjusting to the position gave Sherlyn Gamata a free walk to first base. Another pitching error gave Fate a second free walk, prompting TB to put back its original pitcher, Ng Wing-hin.
But the switchback came too late. Fate, by then, had seized on the opportunity to score seven home runs in the third inning via Gamata, Edith Hidalgo, Octaviano, Locop, Badajos, Japitana and Mendez. The inning closed at 12-6.
In the fourth inning, Ng Wing Hin added one run to TB’s score, while Fate was scoreless as the locals tried to fight back. The inning ended at 12-7.
TB took their last chance to catch up in the fifth inning, with batters Yeung Kit-ling and Hui Shui-ming adding two home runs.
But time was up and the umpires stopped the game with the score of 12-9, and the Fate players ran to the pitch cheering their victory.
“It was really a nice game!” exclaimed Law Wai-ho, Fate’s manager, who was very happy with the result of the match.
