Norzagaray nine holds off USA Central for 2nd win

Asia- Pacific champ Norzagaray, Bulacan waylaid USA Central in five innings, 10-0, to book its second straight win and secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the Junior League Softball World Series Wednesday at Everest Park in Kirkland, Washington.

Bulacan blasted five runs in the fourth to rip the game wide open and post a quarters-clinching 2-2 card in Pool A.

Alma Tauli conceded only two hits to the softbelles from Clay County, Kentucky and struck out two while going three-for-four with one RBI and one run on the offensive end.

The Bulakeñas peppered Brianda Owens and Emma Hurd with 14 hits, with Jovelyn Policarpio accounting for one- run, one- RBI on a three- for- four clip and Jojielyn Lim plating three runners and scoring once on a two- forfour batting.

Southeast team Florida topped the group with 4- 0, while Bulacan and Canada finished with identical 2-2 as Central and Host logged similar 1-3.

West wound up No. 1 in Pool B with 4-0 followed by Southwest (3-1), Latin America (2-2) and East (0-4).

The top four teams in each group advanced to the Last-8.

Bulacan took a 2-0 lead against Clay County in the second frame after Gieselle Villarubia and Ana Veronica Santiago slammed back- to- back single RBIs.

Lim belted a three-run triple then scored off Tauli’s base-hit to extend Bulacan’s margin to 7-0 two innings later.

Rose Ann Balolot, Madaelene Domaug, and Policarpio took turns driving in runners to clear the way for a 10-run cushion in the fifth inning that led to the application of mercy rule.