Cabuyao IX stays unbeaten, edges PUP

MANILA, Philippines -  Cabuyao took control early then banked on its defense in the stretch to edge Polytechnic University of the Philippines, 8-7, in a duel of unbeaten teams in the 18-and-Under Men’s Fast Pitch softball tournament at the Sto. Niño baseball field in Marikina yesterday.

Jerome Tenorio keyed a three-run homerun in the third inning as Cabuyao took a 5-1 lead. But the PUP batters struck back behind John Lucas, who hit two RBIs, before Gino Riparip, Russel Disamparo and Aaron Gecolea stepped up to help push the team within, 6-7, at the end of the sixth.

Tenorio, however, made another RBI to give Cabuyao a two-run cushion in the final inning then the Laguna-based squad held PUP to just one run to escape with the victory.

“We’re just in the middle of the tournament but we’ve already witnessed a series of big matches between some of the country’s best young softball players (Cabuyao and PUP),” said AsaPhil and Cebuana Lhuillier president Jean Henri Lhuillier. “Every team is giving it all they’ve got so we can expect the action to heat up in the last half.”

It was Cabuyao’s sixth straight win while dealing PUP its first defeat in four starts in the tournament conducted by the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asaphil) and hosted by Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro.

Earlier, Cabuyao, Laguna ripped Antipolo, Rizal, 11-4, while Rizal Technological University blasted Agoncillo, Batangas, 19-10.

Michael Angelo Alvarez, Edward Garcia, and Ignatius Pabillan fueled an 8-0 RTU in the opening frame then went on to fashion out the win that tied it with PUP at 3-1.

Agoncillo, Batangas dropped to 2-3 while Pasig City crushed Antipolo, Rizal, 13-0, to pick up its first win in five games. Antipolo slid to 0-5.