The Philippine Blu Girls will play for bronze in women’s softball of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 after closing out the preliminary round with a 9-3 win over Hong Kong on Friday.
Angelu Gabriel, Reyae Villamin and Roma Jane Cruz all homered as the Blu Girls ended the preliminaries in fourth spot with a 4-3 win-loss record and a chance to secure a podium finish.
Gabriel hit a solo homer in the top of the first, Villamin’s two-run shot highlighted a five-run second before Cruz hit one out of the park with a two-run round-tripper in the fifth.
By placing fourth, the Philippines set a date with Chinese-Taipei for bronze on Saturday at 10 a.m. Manila time.
It will be the Blu Girls’ second crack at placing third in the Asian Games, after falling short to the same Taiwanese side for bronze in the pandemic-delayed 2022 edition held three years ago.
The Philippines lost that game, 3-2, after a baserunning blunder in the final inning prevented the tying run from scoring.
Coach Ana Santiago’s squad will look to exact not only that loss, but their 10-1 setback last week at the early phase of the preliminaries.
The Philippines has never won a medal in softball.