THE ADAMSON University Lady Falcons successfully defended their crown anew and bagged their ninth-straight championship after overpowering the UST Tiger Softbelles, 11-2, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 81 softball finals at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Tuesday.
The Lady Falcons used a strong sixth inning to pull away for good as MJ Maguad’s run-batted-in and Nichole Padasas’ left-field fly hit sent Arianne Vallestero and Jeanette Rusia back home, 11-2.
In the fifth inning, Softbelle Tin Palma’s error gave way for a Capistrano Uy conversion, before Krisha Cantor and Honey Alegarme added two more runs to widen the gap, 7-2.
“Hindi sila (Softbelles) pumapalo kanina and ang daming errors that contributed to our defeat, pero we’re still lucky to be first runners-up,” Softbelles head coach Sandy Barredo told the Varsitarian.
Adamson added two more conversions in the second inning, courtesy of Vallestero and Clarize Lozada, before Palma answered back with an RBI that sent Hannah de La Torre to home plate, 4-2.
Vallestero and Maguad scored back-to-back runs in the first inning to put Adamson on board, before UST’s Lealyn Guevarra hit a center-field fly ball that sent Charlotte Sales back home, 2-1.
Sales bagged the Rookie of the Year award, while Vallestero was named this season’s Most Valuable Player.
UST will lose the services of Palma, de La Torre, Guevarra, Jessiel Belaño, Lyra Gustillo, Ricky Latican, Mary Rose Acuña and Ariellyn Arreglado after exhausting their playing years.
