Airmen, Lady Maroons cop softball titles

LIPA CITY – A six-run binge at the bottom of the sixth inning carried Philippine Air Force to an 11-5 victory over Zamboanga City in the men’s championship of the 2008 National Open softball tournament at the Barangay San Sebastian field here yesterday.

Defending women’s champion University of the Philippines worked behind the heroics of pitcher Dione Macasu in eking out a dramatic 5-4 triumph over Adamson University to retain its title at the nearby Barangay Banay-Banay grounds.

 A line shot by Airman Xacson Umandac hit Zamboangueño shorts stop Emerson Atilano in the face that allowed Air Force centerfielder Jonash Ponce to score the winning run.

The Air Force right fielder’s run-scoring single broke a 5-all deadlock as the Airmen finally scuttled the bid of losing pitcher Roger Rojas.

Air Force shortstop Alvin Peralta squeezed home leftfielder Francis Candela in a brilliant offensive move before he himself scored on a sacrifice fly by designated player Jerry Estanislao.

Three more unearned runs coupled with four Zamboanga errors completed the Airmen’s sweep of their two-game assignment in the day.

They earlier blanked host Lipa City, 7-0, at the bottom of the Page-system that paved the way for their title showdown with the outright finalist Zamboangueños.

Lady Maroon lefty Macasu preserved a 14-inning job by hacking out a two-run home run at the top of the seventh that wiped out a 4-3 Lady Falcons lead before a huge crowd at the Banay-Banay grounds.

Macasu also keyed the Lady Maroons’ 9-4 romp of Rizal Province in their side of the Page-system earlier.

Airman top hurler Florante Acuna led the team’s tough defense despite being hit by a batted ball in the third inning as he repeatedly thwarted rallies put up by Zamboanga.

Acuna and Macasu were later named Most Valuable Players in their respective divisions.