It was a tough Sunday afternoon for the Negrense softbelles during their semi-finals encounter with their tough Mid Atlantic rival during the 2022 Little League Softball World Series in Greenville, North Carolina, USA, a press release from the Provincial Sports Office said.
It looked like a David versus Goliath challenge, as the members of the opposing team were double or nearly triple the body size of the Negrense cuties, as some Americans described them, the press release said.
The battle ended in an 11-0 final score to the favor of the Americans. The absence of the Negrense main pitcher added to the challenge after she had already played in 12 innings, in accordance with Little League World Series rules. Added to the rival’s advantage was their power batting that sent balls flying, giving them home runs.
After this result, the Negrense players, representing the Philippines-Asia Pacific, will play against Virginia, where the team that emerges victorious will grab third place in this world series.
As an additional surprise, the Negrense girls were awarded the 2022 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award after displaying sportsmanship both on and off the field throughout its time in Greenville, North Carolina.
Presented for the first time during the 2021 Little League Softball® World Series, the Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award recognizes a team that shows what it means to be “Girls with Game” both on and off the field.
“On behalf of all of us at the Little League Softball World Series, we are honored to present the 2022 Girls with Game Team Sportsmanship Award to Negros Occidental Little League,” said Ashlea Nash, Little League Director of Softball Development. “Since the moment they arrived, the players of Negros Occidental Little League have shown the excitement and sportsmanship that makes the Little League World Series experience so meaningful and have proven what it means to be Girls with Game.”
“The award surprised everyone as among the twelve competing teams, the Negros Occidental team got the award which, we feel is a gold award at that,” said Anthony Carlo Agustin the head of delegation and the Sports Office of Negros Occidental.*
