San Rafael, 2 others keep lead at Asaphil GS

MANILA, Philippines - San Rafael, Bulacan, Rizal Technological University and Lipa City came away with lopsided victories over their respective rivals to keep their lead in the men’s division of the 10th Summer Grand Slam tournament presented by Cebuana Lhuillier at the Batangas Sports Complex yesterday.

The Bulacan-based batters overpowered the skidding Benguet Phantoms and fashioned out an 8-3 victory while the RTU clouters crushed the Montalban, Rizal side, 7-0.

Lipa City matched that 7-0 rout as it dealt Alabang its fourth straight setback in the annual tournament sanctioned by the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines.

In a late Wednesday result, Tanauan-A pulled off a 4-1 romp over UM Davao in women’s Division B with competitions expected to heat up going to the homestretch of the week-long event which lured the country’s top teams in the men’s and women’s Open and the men’s and women’s Club.

The tournament also drew softball teams from Indonesia and Malaysia in the Open divisions.

“We expect the matches to get more intense as they step up their respective title bids. We have been doing this tournament for the past 10 years and the excitement never dissipates,” said Asaphil president Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Tipped to get cracks at back-to-back championships are Adamson University (women’s Open), University of the Philippines (women’s Club), the Philippine Air Force (men’s Open), and the San Antonio Bobcats (men’s Club).