SEA GAMES: PH CRUSHES MALAYSIA TO GO 3-0 IN BASEBALL

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PATHUM THANI, Thailand—The Philippine men’s baseball team needed just five innings to continue its perfect slate in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.

The Filipino batters pounded Malaysia, 21-0, in a game that ended abruptly on mercy rule to go 3-0 in the competition.

They put themselves in a tie for the lead with host Thailand, considered as the biggest threat to their bid to repeat the triumph in 2019 back home.

Thailand is said to have added players with mixed American or Japanese blood in its quest to regain the gold it won for the only time in 2007 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

“We have our eyes on them, but we also know that they have their eyes on us,” said coach Orlando Binarao.

The Philippines face Vietnam on Tuesday before battling Thailand the following day in what is expected as a preview of the gold medal match.

The top two teams after the single-round eliminations will meet for the title.

Liam de Vera drove in four runs to highlight another run-scoring surge by the Philippines that was also aided by miscues from the opposing side.

Malaysia walked 11 batters and committed three errors. Clarence Caasalan picked up the win as a starter with six strikeouts in three innings and allowed just one hit.

2025-12-08T12:16:52Z