TALISAY City captured the championship in the 1st Escalante Open Softball Summer League after defeating Fuentes Lines-Bacolod 5-4 recently at the Lourdes Softball Dream Park in Manapla, Negros Occidental.
Talisay was comfortably ahead the Bacolod squad 5-0 in the fifth inning but the latter started to connect and eventually booked two runs to cut the deficit 2-5 heading into the last inning.
Talisay was held scoreless in the seventh frame as Bacolod took advantage of the momentum to pull even closer 4-5. But Talisay kept its composure and halted Bacolod’s comeback.
Isagani Santillan of Talisay was named Most Valuable Player and Best Slugger. His teammates Nelson Esmillarin, Garardo Tambaoan and Junvee Pagulong also received citations: Best Slugger, Most Homerun and Best Hitter, respectively.
Hacienda Gaston-Manapla, meanwhile, survived the thrilling championship match against Cadiz Sluggers 7-6 to capture the Negros First Area 2 Inter-Hacienda Summer League crown.
Manapla opened a 2-0 lead after the first inning but Cadiz made a stunning fifth inning comeback with four runs after the Manapla batters committed successive errors in process.
Cadiz further extended its lead in the upper sixth inning 6-2 but Manapla scored three runs to tie the scores at 6-all before it caught Sluggers’ pitch for an outfield strike, allowing the second baseman to complete the run in the seventh.
Individual awardees were Wenio Elinon of Cadiz (Best Pitcher), Antonio Beronio of Manapla (Best Slugger), Elmer Bagolcol of Manapla (Most Homerun), Ontoy Catague of Cadiz (Best Hitter), and Arnold Gamboa of Manapla (Most Valuable Player)./PN
