Adamson, Lakidende rule softball tourney

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion Adamson annexed its third straight title in the women’s division while the visiting Indonesian team ruled the men’s division of the Summer Grandslam National Open Softball Championships inside Clark Freeport Zone recently.

Adamson easily beat University of the Philippines-Diliman, 5-1, while Lakidende was even more impressive with a 6-1 victory over Air Force-2.

The Lady Falcons learned from the previous day’s 4-5 semifinal loss to the Lady Maroons whom they faced again in the finals after disposing of Rizal Technological University, 4-2.

“I told my players that the team that commits fewer mistakes will win the game, and that is what happened – we minimized errors and our batters were able to adjust to Diony’s (Macasu) pitching,” said Adamson and Blu Girls coach Anna Santiago who added a third National Open title to her collection.

It was Santiago’s third grandslam, having already won three UAAP titles and three national inter-collegiate crowns.

UP’s Macasu opened with a homerun in the first inning but that proved to be her team’s last run too as Adamson pitcher Rizza Bernardino held at bay State U’s batters.

UP coach Kiko Diaz admitted he gambled on high school pitcher Cherokee Deolata in the fifth inning to rest Macasu but Adamson pounced on the young pitcher and scored two runs to pad its lead to 5-1.

“I believe it was worth the gamble as Diony’s leg was hurting and had to be rested even for a short time,” said Diaz after the tournament backed by Cebuana Lhuillier, Clark Development Corporation, Phiten, Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions, Pera Padala, Just Jewels, and Le Soleil de Boracay.

In the anti-climactic men’s open finale, Lakidende’s Jasper Cabrera set the tone from the start and scored a home run in the first inning, the Indonesian team, heavily reinforced by Filipinos and Canadians, added two more runs in the second inning and closing with a three run binge in the 6th inning against a lone run by PAF-2 , courtesy of Michael Pakaliwagan from an RBI by Marlon Pakaliwagan in the 6th inning.

Canadian pitcher Jeff Farion had the Air Force batters mesmerized with his fast balls though the action on the field heated up in the bottom of the fifth resulting in an altercation between Lakidende’s ApolRosales and PAF-2’s Juniper Pinero. Rosales was thrown out for throwing a punch.

In the women’s club final, University of Sto. Tomas won it over Ateneo,10-3, Marikina pver Libjo-Batangas, 4-3 in an extended game.