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Asian Games: Blu Girls coach vows Philippine softball team will bounce back

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1426756" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>JAKARTA—Coach Randy Dizer lamented the several chances blown by the Philippine Blu Girls in their heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Chinese-Taipei in the softball tournament of the 2018 Asian Games on Wednesday night.</p><p>A win over Chinese-Taipei would have assured the Philippines of a bronze medal — the country&#x27;s first-ever podium finish in the Asian Games. Instead, the Blu Girls now have to play the same side again Thursday night, with a loss knocking them out of contention.</p><p>“Masakit, masakit kasi we were given more chances of winning the game early, but we did not deliver,” said Dizer after the close loss.</p><p>The Blu Girls took a 2-1 lead off a two-run homer by powerhouse Hailey Decker at the top of the fourth, but Li Szushih tied the game with a leadoff dinger off pitcher Kaith Jalandoni to even the score.</p><p>The Philippines would then repeatedly squander its opportunities to score. Perhaps most painful was a play in the sixth inning, when the Blu Girls loaded the bases and were gifted a chance when Chinese-Taipei committed a wild pitch. </p><p>Decker rushed home, but was tagged out — a call that Dizer found contentious. “Look at the slo-mo. She was safe all the way,” said the coach, who nevertheless acknowledged that his team could not question judgment calls.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/08/23/softball.jpg"/><figcaption>The Philippine Blu Girls are determined to move on from Wednesday night&#x27;s loss to Chinese-Taipei. <em>Courtesy of the Asian Games website</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Indeed, more than the calls, Dizer was upset at how his players failed to capitalize on the situation. “Two triple bases, ‘di ba? One fly ball, we would score, pero we hit it on the ground,” he said.</p><p>“It&#x27;s that confidence level of really who wants it most. &#x27;Yun ang lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila, who wants it most. Then Taiwan was given a chance. Look, they delivered,” Dizer added.</p><p>Chinese-Taipei had made the Philippines pay dearly, with pinch runner Lin Pei Chun scoring the winning run after Angelie Ursabia and Chelsea Suitos ran into each other in the infield.</p><p>“Galit, galit, they&#x27;re crying because they know that we&#x27;re there. They know that we&#x27;re there,” Dizer said when asked about the mood of the team.</p><p>There is no time for the Blu Girls to dwell on the loss, however, as they face the very same Chinese-Taipei team on Thursday night — this time, with a podium finish on the line.</p><p>“They want to come back,” Dizer said. “We will come back.”</p><p>“After what happened today, we really have to step up tomorrow,” he also said.</p><p>He said that the game against Taiwan will come down to “who wants it more.”</p><p>“Kailangan &#x27;yung puso, &#x27;di ba. We&#x27;ve been telling everybody, we&#x27;ve been telling lahat sa atin doon, we are fighting for the country, laban tayo, puso ang kailangan. But kapos tayo ngayon, so we have to deliver tomorrow,” Dizer said.</p><p>With the loss Wednesday, the Philippines finished in a triple tie with China and Chinese-Taipei for second place.</p><p>China, however, was awarded the second seed by virtue of runs allowed; the Chinese squad will play unbeaten Japan in the semifinals for a spot in the finals.</p><p>The winner of the Philippines-Chinese-Taipei rematch will take on the loser of the Japan-China game. The winner of that contest will then advance to the championship match, with the loser settling for bronze.</p><p>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</p>

<p>The Blu Girls need to put their crushing defeat to Chinese-Taipei in the rearview if they hope to get past the same opponent in Thursday's semifinal.</p>

The Blu Girls need to put their crushing defeat to Chinese-Taipei in the rearview if they hope to get past the same opponent in Thursday's semifinal.

Asian Games: Blu Girls coach vows Philippine softball team will bounce back

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Asian Games: Blu Girls coach vows Philippine softball team will bounce back

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 23, 2018 06:02 AM PHT

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2018 Asian Games

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