Finance ends slump in softball league

Finance returned to its winning ways after thumping the Commonwealth Health Center, 17-12, in the women’s division of the Budweiser 2008 Inter-Government/Business Softball League Monday night at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

Finance won its debut but dropped its next two games before recovering against CHC, seizing control of the game after scoring five runs apiece in the third and fourth inning.

A two-run homer from centerfielder Liz Lebria at the bottom of the first gave Finance a good start leading at 6-1.

But Finance committed several errors in the second inning allowing CHC to score seven runs and grab the driver’s seat, 8-6, as the latter shut out the former at the bottom of the second.

But that was the last time CHC hung on to the lead, as Finance cashed in on a five-run bottom of the third and fifth and gave up only four runs in the last five innings.

Leftfielder Lilian Pangelinan was perfect at-bat for Finance, going 3-for-3. She scored three runs and had two triples and four RBIs.

Lebria and Pauline Tudela both went 3-for-4 at the plate with the former making two runs and four RBIs. Tudela scored two runs, one triple, and one RBIs.

Overall, Finance had a decent job at-bat going 22-for-42 for a batting average of .524.

Benny Seman was 2-for-2 for CHC, while centerfielder Evita Punimata went 3-for-4.

As a team, CHC had a batting average of .350 after hitting 14-for-40.

CHC absorbed its second loss in three games.

MEN’S

No Zone 11, CHC 6

CHC had a double black eye when its men’s team bowed to No Zone.

No Zone shut out CHC in the last two innings to eke out an 11-6 victory which improved the former’s record to 2-2. CHC dropped to a 1-3 slate.

The game was tied, 6-all, after six complete innngs.

Outfielder Ed Diaz made it 7-6 after reaching home plate on a Ned Norita base-on-ball.

At the bottom of the sixth, the farthest that CHC could reach was third base, as Joe Tenorio’s attempt to bring Vince Rabauliman home was foiled by Frank Pangelinan, who caught Tenorio’s fly ball for the third out. Tom Diaz flied out to right field for the first out, while pitcher Eric David struck out Rick Kaipat for the second out.

At the top of the seventh, extra hitter John Santos blasted a two-run single and Kent Kalen and Santos himself had one run apiece to give No Zone an 11-6 lead.

CHC’s first three batters flied out ending the team’s chances to extend the game.

Kalen went 3-for-4 at-bat for No Zone highlighting his impressive game with a two-run homer in the third inning.

POI 12,

Mayor’s Office 2
In the other men’s division game, POI cruised to its second straight win after whipping Mayor’s Office, 12-2.

POI allowed the Mayor’s Office to score only in the first inning to nail an easy victory.

Leftfielder Ben Tenorio scored the first for Mayor’s Office at the bottom of the first on a Donald Manalo triple. Manalo later reached home plate on a Manny Tenorio single to five their team a 2-0 lead.

POI’s first three batters at the top of the first were thrown out, but Mayor’s Office’s successive errors in the second allowed POI to score and tie the game at 2-2, after two complete innings.

POI added six more runs in the third, while the Mayor’s Office spend the rest of the night wondering what hit them in the last five innings, as the latter failed to score.

Pitcher Maurice Omengkar allowed only four hits in the last five innings and POI outfielders hustled for several fly balls frustrating Mayor’s Office sluggers.

The Mayor’s Office had a dismal performance going only 7-for-24 at the plate for a batting average of .292. POI was 17-for-34 at-bat for a decent .500 batting average.

Catcher Ton Luzama went 3-for-3 for POI, scoring three runs, one double, one triple, and two RBIs.

The Mayor’s Office remained winless in four games putting them at the bottom of the standings in the 20-team field.