AdU clouters off to flying start

BAGUIO CITY , Philippines  – Starting pitcher Melanie Macatangay fired blanks from the mound but sizzled on the plate to lift Adamson over Rizal Province, 8-6, at the start of the Cebuana Lhuiller-National Open Softball Championships yesterday at the Melvin Jones Park here.

The 17-year-old right-hander yielded four hits that produced five runs for the Lady Falcons but blasted a two-run triple to center in the lower half of the fifth inning to cap a long Adamson rally from a 2-5 deficit after three completed frames.

Macatangay’s power shot drove home Marissa dela Cruz and Elvie Enterina and broke a 5-5 standoff. Dela Cruz earlier took first on an error while Enterina advanced with a single.

“She played so well in the Philippine Series that’s why I started her. So, I was surprised she didn’t pitch well,” Adamson coach Ana Santiago said of Macatangay after the victory.

But her failure at the mound did not stop Macatangay driving in three runs.

“It turned out she hit well so it’s okay with me,” added Santiago, who took her hat off to the Rizal squad composed mainly of high school players.

Comebacking Ronnie Pagkaliwagan, meanwhile, came up with a no-hit, no-run, no error job on the hill as Rizal Technological U of Mandaluyong City toyed with RnR of Benguet, 12-0, in only four innings of men’s division play over at the adjacent Baguio Athletic Bowl.

Pagkaliwagan, the only Filipino hurler ever to book a perfect game in a world championship, had the RnR batters at the palm of his hands, striking out the first nine men he faced in the first three innings.

Only a sacrifice bunt at the top of the fourth tainted Pagkaliwagan’s almost flawless performance.

That lopsided victory made the RTU Blue Thunders the team to beat in the reduced 11-team men’s field, especially with the last-minute withdrawal of defending champion Philippine Air Force.

The Airmen, who were eyeing a third straight crown in the tourney supported by Pera Padala, Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions, Cebuana Lhuillier Bank, Phiten, Just Jewels and Le Soleil de Boracay, reportedly failed to get dispatch service order from the PAF hierarchy.

Abbreviated victories were the order of the day, at least in the early results, as the Mama-Sita’s-sponsored University of the Philippines blanked Besao of Benguet, 21-0, in only three frames, also in the distaff side of action.

Not to be outdone, MS Marikina crushed La Trinidad Valley, also of Benguet, 21-0.

The tournament was declared open by Baguio City Mayor Peer Rey Bautista in the presence of Asaphil secretary general Danny Francisco, board member Randy Dizer and tournament director Jun Veloso.