Blu Girls stun BRMP; RTU enters semis

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Blu Girls humbled their male counterparts in BRMP of Benguet as they fashioned out a 9-2 rout even as Rizal Technological University routed Baguio City, 11-3, to clinch the first seat in the crossover semifinal round of the Cebuana Lhuillier-National Open Softball Championships at the Baguio Athletic Bowl in Baguio City yesterday.

With Joyce Lasquete dishing out a no-hit, no-run two-inning start and the rest of the Blu Girls tagging a pair of host hurlers with 10 hits, the Nationals seized command right at the bottom of the first inning where they scored three runs.

The Blu Girls are competing in the men’s side as part of their buildup for this year’s Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

Dione Macasu scored on back-to-back singles by lead-off batter Sarah Agravante and Gina Salvador-Bacus as the debuting Blu Girls of coach Ana Santiago surged ahead and never looked back.

“It’s a good start although we don’t expect to win the crown. But we need this tournament and win as many games as possible in our preparation for the Asian Games,” Santiago said.

The RTU Blue Thunder, meanwhile, fired 13 hits against a pair Baguio hurlers, five of them coming in the first and third frames as they notched their fourth straight victory to move within one win from sweeping the six-team Group A.

The two-group men’s play is backed by Pera Padala, Cebuana Lhuillier Insurance Solutions, Cebuana Lhuillier Bank, Philten, Just Jewels and Le Soleil de Boracay.

Dasmariñas of Cavite scored its first win after three straight losses while handing R and R of Benguet its first setback after three wins with a 6-1 victory.

Bulacan State University, drawing solid games from Joemar Valderama and Esme Sta. Mariam, blanked St. Louis University of Baguio, 12-0, also in the men’s category.

Adamson, meanwhile, stamped its class in the women’s division, thumping Polytechnic University of the Philippines, 6-0, in a regulation five-inning duel over at the Melvin Jones Park.

It was the Lady Falcons’ third straight win in Group A.