JAKARTA -- The Philippine Blu Girls will kick off their campaign in the 18th Asian Games against Hong Kong at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) softball field here on Sunday. Game time is 9 p.m. (Manila time).
Coach Randy Dizer said the team is eyeing the podium after placing fourth four years ago in Incheon, South Korea.
“We don’t watch to match our fourth-place finish (in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games) the last time. We are aiming for a podium finish,” Dizer said on Saturday.
Dizer, a former national player, said the Blu Girls are optimistic on their medal campaign after a runner-up performance in the Asian Women’s Softball Championships in Taiwan last year. Japan won the title.
“Yes, we have a good chance of a podium finish. We have been together for some time, so we have a chance of winning a
medal in this Asian Games,” said skipper-catcher Chesca Altamonte.
Garrie Blando, a Filipino-American short stop who has been with the squad since 2014, shared Altamonte’s opinion.
“I believe we’ve been together for a longer time now, so we have a better team since our last Asian Games. We are really hoping to win a medal here,” said Almonte.
Dizer has noted the team's deep bullpen bannered by Filipino-American Sierra Lange, a top rookie playing for the US NCAA Division 1 School George Washington University. Supporting her are Kaith Jezra Jalandoni, Reese Myquelle Guevarra, and Mia Macapagal.
"It is the hitting that we have to improve on,” said Dizer, citing the team's winning only two games in four matches in the World Championships in Chiba, Japan.
Dizer hopes that Hailey Decker will step up in the absence of Filipino-American sluggers Dani Gilmore and Kailee Cuico.
After Hong Kong, the Philippines will have two matches on Monday -- against South Korea at 4 p.m. and China at 9 p.m.
The Blu Girls will meet defending champion Japan on Tuesday and Chinese Taipei on Wednesday in the final day of the elimination round. (PNA)
