PHILIPPINES – The last few games has saw the exploits of pitcher Jeffrey Ardio and centerfielder Jonash Ponce. And once more, both players came through to help the Cebu Dolphins enter the semifinals anew.

Led by Ardio’s arm and Ponce’s bat, the Dolphins pushed their way to an outright semifinals berth after an 11-1 demolition of the Batangas Bulls in a shortened seven-inning contest at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Ardio, who a week ago against the Muntinlupa Mariners, tossed a three-hitter in six innings of work, almost equaled that output with a six-inning, one-run, five-hitter while Ponce delivered two hits in five times he batted.

The win improved Cebu’s record to 7-2 to enter the final four for the fourth straight time since the team was formed during the league’s first-ever tournament. It was also the Dolphins’ second outright semis berth, with the first came during the title-clinching Series 2 campaign last year.

“We’re happy that we are in the semfinals,” said Cebu team manager Isaac Bacarisas in Filipino. “But we are not yet satisfied because we want to win another championship.”

Cebu is trailing the Forward Taguig (7-1) for first place in the team standings but could clinch top spot when both teams meet on Saturday in the resumption of their suspended game last October 19.

In that contest, Cebu was ahead 7-1 after four innings when play was halted because of darkness.

Batangas dropped to 3-5 to tie Muntinlupa for third place in the team standings. The Bulls can finish third if they could beat the Mariners and Forward Taguig in two suspended games that will also be resumed on Saturday.

After yielding a run in the top of the first inning on a Jojo Apura RBI groundout, the Dolphins stormed to three runs in the bottom half of the said frame as Ponce hit an RBI single off loser Jay Laurel that scored leadoff runner Fulgencio Rances from second base.

Ponce drove-in another runner in the second when he smacked an RBI single to left field off Bulls’ reliever Carlo Banzon for a 4-1 advantage.

In the third, Cebu extended the lead to 7-1 with Rances hitting an RBI single with runners on first and second while Ponce reached safely with two outs on a fielding error by Batangas third baseman Vio Roxas that allowed two runners to score.

Batangas struggled all day against Ardio as big hitters like Roxas, Apura and Junifer Pinero combined for just one hit in eight at-bats with Roxas, the Series 3 Most Valuable Player, going hitless in three times he batted.

Rances, one of the league’s best hitters, led Cebu with two hits in three times he batted with burly veteran Joel Binarao and 15-year old Carlo Conge each going perfect in two at-bats.

Laurel was pulled from the mound after a disappointing one-inning effort but Banzon, who usually plays hurler for Ateneo de Manila in the UAAP, struggled as well by yielding seven runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Jonas Terrado is the Chief Writer for the Baseball Philippines website.

Tags: Philippines