RP clouters shut out Iranians

Team Philippines capitalized on Iran’s poor pitching as it hacked out a 7-0 regulated game victory over Iran yesterday for a rousing start in the seventh Asian Men’s Softball Championship at the Rizal ballpark.

The host squad employed three pitchers — Roger Rojas, Luis dela Cruz and Florante Acuña — in successfully shutting out the Iranians, sealing the win in this five-day meet organized by the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines headed by Manila Representative Harry Angping (3rdDistrict, Manila).

"Nung first inning pa lang nakita ko nang walang threat yung kalaban kaya nagpalit na agad ako ng pitcher," said RP team coach Reynaldo "Baby" Manzanares.

Rojas started it out for the Blu Boys and quickly made an impact as he struck three hitters in just 10 pitches before dela Cruz, a rookie, and Acuña took over to finish off the Iranians, a first timer in the tournament sanctioned by the Softball Confederation of Asia (SCA).

Powerhouse Japan defeated lowly Thailand, 10-0, in four innings in the main game.

Earlier, Hong Kong leaned on a late seventh-inning run to stun reigning Southeast Asian Games softball champion Indonesia, 4-3, while Chinese Taipei, which is bracketed with the Philippines, pulverized India, 6-1.

Apolonio Rosales scored Orlando Binarao right at the bottom of the first frame for RP’s first run before a double by another Binarao – Manolito – made it a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the second inning.

Iran held ground in the next frame but the national team returned in the fourth inning with a vengeance after Mark Rae Ramirez scored an inside-the-park two-run homer to further increase the lead for the three-time titlist.

Two straight home runs by Joel Binarao and pinch-hitter Romeo Bumagat in the bottom of the fourth made it 6-0 before a throwing error by Iran’s third baseman sent the Blu Boys to their first triumph.

Ushering the event were Angping, officials of SCA headed by Vryan Cho Gwan Yeon, Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Eric Buhain and commissioner William "Butch" Ramirez and Tourism Undersecretary Cynthia Carreon.

The event is backed by Toyota, PSC, Cemex, PLDT, Philippine Tobacco Institute, Cathay Pacific Steel Corp., Dowell Container Packaging Corp., San Miguel Corp., Asia Brewery, Maratex Manufacturing, China International Water and Electric Corp. and BA Securities.