MANILA, Philippines - Kensei from Brunei scored a 4-0 rout over Rizal Technological University while Philippine Army and Zamboanga City hurdled their respective rivals to force a three-way tie for the lead in the Cebuana Lhuillier Summer Grandslam National Softball Open in Clark Field, Pampanga.
Veteran Blu Boy Apol Rosales, playing as an import for Kensei, hit a pair of home runs to lead the team to the lopsided victory, its second straight win for a share of the lead.
The Armymen came up with another explosive performance as they trounced the Salazar Institute of Technology-Cebu side, 7-2, while the Zambo clouters edged the Philippine Air Force side, 2-1.
With two outs and a runner Napal Cruz on third base in the final inning, Erwin Agustin hit a single to left field, sending Cruz home as Zamboanga completed its come-from-behind victory over the Airmen.
“We have a big chance to reach the finals,” said Zamboanga coach Felipe Salcedo, whose wards also nipped JK.com Zamboanga, 2-1, last Sunday.
In the women’s Open division, University of the East, with Blu Girl Joy Lasquite as playing coach, scored back-to-back wins, beating RTU 8-4, last Sunday then routed West Java from Indonesia, 7-1, yesterday morning for the lead.
Adamson Alumni joined the winners’ circle with a 13-2 romp over Papua Province team from Indonesia. The Adamson Alumni team was playing defending champion Adamson University at presstime.
Meanwhile, Papua, powered by Blu Girls Esmeralda Tayag and Dione Macasu, rebounded from its opening day loss with a 7-3 victory over RTU in the tournament sponsored by Cebuana Lhuillier, Phiten, Cebuana Pera Padala, Le Soleil de Boracay, Cebuana Lhuillier Bank, Just Jewels, Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions, TJ Hotdogs, Purefoods Chicken Nuggets, Hungry Juan, Department of Tourism Region 3 and hosted by the Clark Development Corp.
At the men’s Club level competition, Laguna nipped Bulacan, 6-5, while Marikina blanked Pampanga, 8-0, to join Angeles in the lead.
Pampanga, which outlasted Bulacan State U earlier, slid to 1-1.
PUP leads the women’s Club competition with a 2-0 record after edging UST, 2-1, in 8 innings for its second win which Rizal later matched with a 7-3 win over University of Cordilleras-Baguio.
Central Luzon State University, meanwhile, split its first two games, dropping its first game to UST, 2-9, but beating Antipolo, 6-1.