A debut against the world's best
The Philippine women's baseball team steps onto the world stage for the first time on Sunday, making its WBSC Women's World Cup debut at the Asia-Pacific Secondary Field in Tainan, Taiwan. The opening game is a baptism of fire: the Filipinas face world No. 1 and seven-time reigning champion Japan at 2:30 p.m.
Despite being ranked No. 24, the team says it is ready for the challenge. Team captain and second baseman Veronica Velasco told The Manila Times: "Our team is more than ready to compete this Sunday against World No. 1 Japan."
"We know we can go toe to toe with them, and we believe we are one of the teams to beat in the World Cup group stage," she said. "We have done all the preparation we needed, so now it's time for us to give it everything on the field."
Group stage schedule
After Japan, the Philippines will face Cuba on August 24, host Chinese Taipei on August 25, Great Britain on August 26, and Venezuela on August 27. (A report from The Manila Times adds world rankings for those opponents: Cuba at No. 12, Taiwan at No. 2, Great Britain at No. 20, and Venezuela at No. 5.)
The stakes are high: to reach the final stage, the Philippines needs a top-three finish in its group. That final stage is set for July 19–25 next year in Rockford, Illinois. (Tiebreaker Times, meanwhile, reports that the top four teams from the Tainan group will advance to the 2027 Women's Baseball World Cup Finals at Rivets Stadium in Rockford — a discrepancy that has not been reconciled.)
A roster of UAAP standouts
The 20-player squad is largely drawn from Philippine university softball and baseball programs. Reigning UAAP Softball MVP Mae Langga, a catcher from Adamson University, headlines the roster, according to Tiebreaker Times.
Seven players come from the UST Tiger Softbelles, past and present: Christine Bautista (pitcher), Angel Bedano (outfielder), Helga Campos (center fielder/pitcher), Shyla Mae Celis (catcher), Mharnie Dela Cruz (center fielder/pitcher), Erika Fernandez (outfielder/pitcher), and Jojielyn Lim (pitcher).
Adamson provides the biggest contingent outside UST, with Ivy Capistrano (infielder), Delyrose Covarrubias (outfielder), Madelene Domaug (infielder), Chastene Jover (infielder), MJ Maguad (infielder), Mary Nicole Padasas (designated hitter/pitcher), and Richelle Toledo (outfielder) joining Langga.
University of the Philippines is represented by Martine Francisco (first baseman/pitcher) and Jamm'n Rasco (infielder), while De La Salle University sends Cassandra Inot (outfielder) and Nica Velasco (infielder). Completing the squad is Mary Ann Ramos (pitcher), who came from the now-defunct National University softball program.
Captain's confidence
Velasco, a former De La Salle standout, said the Filipinas are focused on playing without pressure.
"We won't think about anything else but playing with confidence, without pressure and enjoying every moment of the game," she said.
She added: "We know what we are capable of, and we didn't come here just to play. We came here to show the world how good Filipinas can be in baseball."