The Philippine women’s team wants nothing but a championship when it competes in the ASEAN Women’s Softball Championships on July 29 to August 1 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Blu Girls, who will leave for Jakarta on Monday, are heavily favored to win the championship which will serve as their basis for the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games in November.

“This is definitely part of our preparation for the Asian Games, so we wanted to see what level we are right now,” Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asaphil) secretary general Danny Francisco said at the SCOOP sa Kamayan Forum at Padre Faura last Friday.

The Blu Girls will be pitted against Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and two squads from Indonesia, where they hope to duplicate the country’s feat in the last edition way back in 1995.

The team will be a mixture of veteran and rookie players, including seven batters who were part of the champion squad in the 2007 Thailand Southeast Asian Games and the 2007 Asian Championships.

They are Dione Macasu, Joy Lasquite, Sheirylou Valenzuela, Esmeralda Tayag, Lulu Maganda, Babet Ramos and Sarah Agravante.

Comebacking pitcher Cora Sobera will also boost the team, boasting of a Most Valuable Player plum at the National Open last May.

Completing the cast are rookie players Elvie Entrina, Rizza Bernardino, Julie Muyco, Marlyn Francisco, Karen Paghubasan, Elma Parohinog, Joane Pioquinto, Veronica Belleza, and Alex Zuluaga.