Things are expected to get tougher for the Philippines the rest of the way after completing a sweep of Group B and entering the Super Round of the East Asia Baseball Cup with another lopsided victory on Wednesday in Clark, Pampanga.
The Filipino hitters crushed Singapore, 15-0, at The Villages to finish atop Group B with a 2-0 record and advance to the next phase of the competition with momentum against Hong Kong and Thailand, teams considered their biggest threats.
Hong Kong and Thailand are also 2-0 in Group A to secure a spot in the Super Round.
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offensive attack
According to tournament rules, teams will face those outside the group in the Super Round, where they will compete for two spots in the championship game.
The Super Round is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, and the final is scheduled for Sunday.
Coach Vince Sagisi merienda again saw another offensive onslaught from the hosts, scoring two runs in the first when Lord de Margen took advantage of a fielding error to reach home and Kyle Soberano touched home on a double steal.
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Clarence Caasalan hit an RBI single in the third before the Filipinos increased their lead by six runs each in the fourth and fifth innings before the game ended abruptly due to a mercy rule.
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A game is called after five innings if a team has a 15-run lead.
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JD Diarao took advantage of the huge run support and allowed just one hit in four innings for the Philippines.
John Vargas also hit the Philippines' first home run of the tournament with a solo shot during the fifth-inning scoring binge.
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