BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Title-favorite Rizal Technological University toppled MS-Marikina, 8-6, to firm up its post as the top men’s team in Group A of the Cebuana Lhuillier-National Open Softball Championships at the Baguio Athletic Bowl here.
The victory, their fifth in as many games, formalized the Blue Thunders’ Final Four entry as the best team in the six-team Group A while relegating the Marikeños to second.
Cavite province, meanwhile, emerged the No. 1 Final Four qualifier in Group B after sweeping its two-game assignment for the day and their five-team bracket.
The Caviteños routed the Philippine Blu Girls, 10-1, in abbreviated match and posted an easy 4-2 thumping of Bulacan State University for their fourth straight triumph.
It was the second defeat suffered by coach Ana Santiago’s Blu Girls in three games after absorbing a 9-1 loss to Bulacan last Monday.
Earlier in the tournament, sponsored by Pera Padala, Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions, Cebuana Lhuillier Bank, Phiten, Just Jewels and Le Soleil de Boracay. the Nationals manhandled BRMP, 9-2.
In the women’s play over at the Melvin Jones Park, University of the Philippines-Mama-Sita’s All Stars edged out Adamson University-Manila, 3-2, in another battle between early qualifiers to emerge the top team in Group A by virtue of superior quotient.
The Lady Maroons, the Lady Falcons and the Rizal clouters ended up in a multiple tie for first place after the elimination with UP coming up with minus five quotient as against Adamson’s minus nine.
The RTU Blue Thunders, thus, will face Bulacan in today’s crossover Final Four with Cavite drawing MS-Marikina in the lower half of the knockout semis.
UP-Mama Sita’s battles UAAP archrival University of Santo Tomas, the No. 2 team in Group B of the distaff side, while Adamson takes on No. 1 Group B squad Lady Thunders.