THE UST Tiger Softbelles barged into the UAAP Final Four following a 9-0 rout of the De La Salle University in just five innings at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Monday.
Leading 5-0 in the fourth inning but will already two outs, the Softbelles banked on runs from Lyra Gustilo, Hannah de la Torre and Tin Palma to push their lead to eight points.
A fielding error by La Salle’s catcher paved the way for Shiela Perales to score UST’s insurance run in the fifth inning, 9-0.
Softbelles pitcher Ann Antolihao then shut out La Salle’s batters at the bottom of the fifth to secure UST’s seventh win in 12 games and set up a semi-final clash with the National University Lady Bulldogs, whom they lost to twice in the elimination round. UST is ranked third.
“Wala [kaming] pahinga. ‘Yung dalawang panalo [ng NU], reresbak kami. Hindi pupwedeng [umulit],” UST head coach Sandy Barredo said.
After Palma scored a homerun which sent Lealyn Guevarra back to the home plate l in the first inning, Perales drilled in a two run-batted-in double in the third en route to De la Torre and Palma runs, 5-0.
The Softbelles will face the twice-to-beat Lady Bulldogs in the semifinals on March 9, Thursday, at the same venue.
