THE UST Tiger Softbelles may have been defeated in the UAAP finals, but the future looks bright for the team with rookie Charlotte Sales at the helm.
Sales bagged the Rookie of the Year award and shared the Most Home Runs award with Season 81 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Arianne Vallestero of the Adamson University.
The 5’4” Sales managed to hit three home runs in the entire season, two of them coming from UST’s 7-0 shutout win against Ateneo de Manila University in the second round.
“Comparing Sales and Vallestero, napakalaki ng diperensya because Sales is a rookie, Arianne is a national team player. Even sa age gap malaki ang difference, good thing naka-homer ng tatlo. That speaks volumes about Sales,” UST coach Sandy Barredo told the Varsitarian.
Sales tallied an impressive 0.342 batting average (13-for-38) in her rookie season built in seven singles, one two-bagger and two triples, resulting in 10 runs-batted-in.
With the 19-year-old’s first season in the bag, she is now focused on leading the Softbelles next year with the team mainly composed of rookies and sophomores.
“Gagawin ko itong stepping stone for next season para mas maibigay ko pa ang best ko para makatulong sa team and makaabot ulit sa finals. Handa na akong i-lead ang team next year and pag-iigihan pa namin ang ensayo,” she said.
In her young UAAP career, Sales already caught the attention of the Philippine National Women’s Softball Team, headed by coach Randy Dizer.
Sales, however, passed on the chance to be a part of the Blu Girls after heeding the advice of Barredo.
“Gustong-gusto ko talaga mag-national team, kaya lang napaisip ako sa sabi ni coach na maraming pang players doon at masyado pa akong bata kaya mag- focus na lang muna ako sa studies,” she said.
Sales’ path to UST was not easy as she was not recruited by any schools. She became part of the Softbelles after trying out for a spot in the roster.
She started softball her career in fifth grade when she was discovered by Josefino Viray her coach at Nemesio I. Yabut Elementary School in Makati.
Sales has already copped several awards including the MVP and Best Pitcher award in the 2016 National Capital Region (NCR) meet. She also bagged the Most Stolen Bases award in the 2017 NCR meet and the Most Home Runs in the 2015 National Inter-Secondary Girls Softball tournament.
Aside from third base, the versatile slugger also plays second baseman and pitcher.
