MAKATI City shut out a listless Cabiao, Nueva Ecija squad, 7-0, Sunday to gain a piece of the early lead in the 2015 National Inter-Secondary Girls Softball Championships at Sto. Niño Baseball Field in Marikina.
The Makati softbelles leaned on the solid hitting of Charlotte Sales on their way to pinning a second straight shutout loss on the Novo Ecijanos and join San Mateo, Rizal, and Miriam College in the early Bracket A lead.
San Mateo scored an 11-0 demolition of Cabiao earlier to match the strong start of Miriam College which hammered out a 10-0 triumph over Pampanga.
The Pampanga girls bounced back in style, coming from behind to drub Baguio City, 10-5, to even its card to 1-1 in the 22-team tournament organized and conducted by the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asaphil) headed by Cebuana Lhuillier president Jean Henri-Lhuillier.
Finding their groove late, the Pampanga girls struck with five runs in the sixth inning, overhauling a two-run deficit to stun Baguio.
The Pampangueñas peppered their rivals with five consecutive runs in the sixth to wrest an 8-5 before Angie Decena belted another three-run homer to put the outcome beyond doubt.
In group B play, Sta. Maria, Bulacan whitewashed Manila City, 10-0, while Pasig City slipped past Tuguegarao, 9-6, to tie Woodrose for the early lead.
The top two teams from each group after the single round eliminations will advance to the crossover semifinals.
Tournament organizers have dangled a P25,000 purse for the champion.