Ponce, Dolphins crush Sand Kings
Bacchus Ledesma safe at home. (Photo - courtesy of owner)TAGUIG – Being assigned in the third spot of the order, Cebu’s Jonash Ponce knows the importance of manufacturing runs.
Against Pampanga, Ponce did the job well.
Ponce belted a three-run home run in the first inning then started off a six-run binge in the seventh as the Dolphins defeated the Sand Kings, 12-4, Saturday at the new Felino Marcelino Baseball Stadium.
Ponce made good on what the situation his teammates presented to him hitting two-of-four, both hits of which came in run-scoring situations in the lopsided game.
In his first at-bat, Ponce already had Fulgencio Rances in scoring position after he doubled and reached third on a fielding error that also put Joseph Orillana at first base so it was for him to take advantage.
Instead of a base hit that would score only Rances, Ponce cleared the bases quickly making it a 3-0 game by blasting a 1-1 pitch by Ernesto Binarao across the left field wall.
After scoring a run in each of the second and third inning, Pampanga had a fight back as Cebu’s sloppy play and a fifth inning RBI by Michael Pandaqui led to the Sand Kings cutting the deficit to a run, 4-5.
But Pampanga didn’t had an answer to Ponce’s hitting ways.
Jonash ponce being congratulated for his home run. (Photo - courtesy of owner) Just like in the first frame when Ponce was at-bat, Rances was also on third after he walked and advanced third after Orillana reached first on an error. Instead of a home run, Ponce hit a conventional single to score Rances though an error also gave Orillana a free path to homeplate.
Ponce’s hit sparked the Dolphins.
Ponce scored his third run in the ball game after Edmer Del Socorro singled before a double by Florencio Ubungen advanced Del Socorro to score. Bacchus Ledesma gave Ubungen a run as he singled before scoring on a two-out single by Ram Alipio.
That’s a total of six runs in five hits for the Dolphins in the seventh frame.
Ponce scored his fourth run in the next inning on a Del Socorro single to cap off his impressive afternoon.
The win was pivotal for Cebu, which improved to 3-1 as it looked to bag the twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinal round.
As for the Sand Kings, they ended Series 6 with a 1-4 mark but it surely was an experience to remember to the players, some of which traveled long hours just to play to show the caliber of the province in the sport.