Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Calinan, Baguio nines reign in 6th DC Baseball Cup

Contrasting fates met reigning champions Calinan High School and Lt. Villafuerte Elementary School on a day the only girl on the field bested all the boys in the elementary division capping an exciting end to the 6th Davao City Baseball Cup at the UM baseball field.

Defending secondary division champion Calinan was stretched to the limits by a fighting Philippine Nikkei Jin-Kai International School needing a 4-run windup in the seventh and final inning to fan a late surge by the challengers and retain their title with a tightrope 11-8 win in the high school division.

Lt. Villafuerte did not have the same fortune as their co-champions from Calinan as they bowed to a more determined Baguio Elementary School, 9-5, in the elementary division that saw a diminutive young girl Diane Cortez besting all the boys for the tournament MVP plum.

The two finals were reset Sunday after heavy rains rendered the playing field unplayable last Saturday. Calinan peppered the PNJK pitching line with five runs to open with a 5-0 lead on top of the fourth. PNJK made it 5-1 with one run in the bottom fourth. Two more runs made it 7-3 after the fifth but PNJK exploded with a four-run spree in the bottom sixth to tie the game at 7-all.

In the final inning, errors by PNJK gave Calinan four more runs and PNJK can only send one man to the homeplate to seal the win for the defending champs.

Jake Pabustan’s solid effort at the mound netted for him the MVP award in the high school division.

Villafuerte and Baguio, bitter rivals in the elementary leagues, battles to a 5-all standoff by the fourth frame, before Baguio, the reigning DCAA champs, went on a three-run binge for a 6-3 lead at the bottom fifth. Three more runs in the 6th against a lone run by Villafuerte gave Baguio a 9-5 cushion. Villafuerte had one last crack at the top of the 7th but they failed to send a man to the plate to give up the crown they won last year.

It was a fitting end to the sixth season of this annual event organized by the Davao City Baseball Association and sponsored by the Japan Kichijoji Lions Club. Earlier, the tournament opened with PSC Commissioner Joaquin “Chito” Loyzaga gracing the elaborate opening ceremonies. (NJB-DSA)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

6th Davao City Baseball Cup opens

PSC commissioner Chito Loyzaga joins Davao baseball players and officials from the Tokyo Kichijoji Lions Club and Datu Uchida Development Foundation in the opening of the 6th Davao City Baseball Cup at the UM Matina Campus in Davao City.
Comm Chito.

World champion coach Hidetoshi Suzuki as catcher as Comm.Chito prepares to swing.

Comissioner Chito throws the ceremonial pitch as Davao City Baseball Association president Joaquin "Boy" Sarabia and the players watch.

The two-day tournament is supported by Nitten Company, Kazuma Sports, Yakult Philippines, Probiotics Inc., PNJKIS, coach Hidetoshi Suzuki, Masaaki Uchida, Hiroyuki Komaki, Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku, Mayor Sara Duterte, Department of Education and Dr. Helen Paguican.