PAF clouters off to hot start

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) men and women got off to flying starts in the National Open softball championships, both scoring twin-kill in separate venues yesterday.

The Airmen dished out impeccable games at the PUP grounds in Sta. Mesa, Manila, shutting out Cabuyao, 13-0, then blanking PUP, 8-0.

The Airwomen were as impressive in a 17-0 sweep of Laguna and a 10-2 rout of Manila over at the Rizal Memorial track-oval.

Rizal Technological University clobbered Cebu City, 9-2, in the other men’s game completed at press time.

In the distaff side, World Series-bound teams Manila, Bacolod Seniors and Bacolod Juniors also got off to a winning start.

The Manila team of coach Ana Maria Santiago and team manager Robert Evangelista stunned 2002 National Open champion RTU, 5-3. The Manila ladies, set to play in the Big League World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan next month, however, later fell prey to the Airforce team made up of the core of the SEA Games champion squad last year.

Bacolod Seniors whipped Bulacan, 11-1, while Bacolod Juniors thumped PUP, 7-0. The two Bacolod teams are also gearing up for the world series next month.

"This is a good tournament most specially for our teams gearing up for the coming world series. This could well help them achieve their goal in their campaigns abroad," said Filomeno "Boy" Codiñera of the ASA-Phil.

The grizzled veterans, however, would not to be outdone with the Airwomen frolicking under the searing summer heat.

Haide Arga and Ma. Corazon Soberre combined for a splendid one-hit pitching job in their first game against Laguna.

The Airforce pitchers yielded six hits against Manila but their batters got the job done with 15 hits highlighted by three-run and four-run salvos in the first and third innings.

Jenny de Jesus, Belen Asok, Lyn Bantiling, Aileen Abello and Haide Arca each one had a homer and combined for 12 RBIs. — Nelson Beltran