The Manila Golden Girls, getting better and hotter, blanked last year’s runner-up San Juan of Puerto Rico, 7-0, and kept their title bid alive in the Big League World Series for girls softball 14-18 class Saturday at the Vanderberg Park in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

The Golden Girls took the early initiative right in the bottom of the opening frame by peppering the Puerto Rican starter with three hits that resulted to two runs which turned out to be the big push they needed to notch their second straight win after dropping their first two games.

Julie Marie Muyco again starred for the team supported by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes office under chairperson and general manager Margarita Juico, Cebuana Lhuilier Pera Padala, Le Soleil de Boracay and Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions as she disarmed the Latin American champions with a no-hit, no run four-inning start that was preserved by lefty Veronica Belleza, who took over in the last three frames.

Muyco, playing out of Adamson University and younger sister of No. 1 hurler, Chloe, allowed only one Puerto Rican batter to board – no thanks to the fielding error of shortstop Marlyn Francisco of the University of the East in the third inning.

The 18-yer-old Muyco then retired all the Puerto Rican girls she met before yielding the mound to Belleza of National Open champion Rizal Technological University, who surrendered one hit the rest of the way.

However, it was Francisco who started the day right for the Golden Girls with a single in the first. Another base hit by Lady Falcon Melanie Macatangay saw Francisco stretching to third.