The UST Tiger Softbelles concluded the first round of the UAAP Season 86 softball tournament with a 3-1 record, winning all their games by shutout.
Senior Royevel Palma and rookie Celine Chang led the team’s pitching efforts, combining for a no-hitter in their first game against Ateneo. Chang impressed with seven strikeouts in her debut, while Palma, a member of the RP Blu Girls, added four strikeouts.
Now fully recovered from the injuries that held her back last season, Palma has pitched in every game so far this season, achieving a 1-1 pitching record with an impressive 0.44 earned runs average (ERA) per game and accumulating 14 strikeouts.
Palma’s only run and loss came in the Softbelles’ 3-0 defeat against the 10-time defending champions, Adamson University.
“Pitchers are in good condition. Nagco-connect lahat ‘yong pitches nila sa corner, malas lang noong sa Adamson kasi walang contribution (ang offense), walang hits. Pero pitching walang problema,” UST head coach Sandy Barredo told the Varsitarian.
Meanwhile, Chang, a former member of the Chinese Taipei U-18 national team, has been outstanding in her first two starts in the UAAP, allowing no runs and only four hits while striking out 12 batters.
UST assistant coach Esmeralda Tayag credited Chang’s success to her chemistry with senior catcher Shyla Celis.
“Dinala siya ng catcher niya. Kung maganda ‘yong communication or bonding nila ng catcher niya, mas madali siyang dalhin despite the language barrier,” Tayag said.
Despite scoring a total of 20 runs in the first round, Tayag mentioned that the team will focus on igniting their bats even more as they prepare for the second round.
“Dagdag pa kami ng paluan, although kasi ngayon mixed ng paluan at bunts yung ginawa namin, so kulang parin sila sa hitting. Hindi pa ganoon kaganda, yung mga inaasahan pa namin ay hindi pa ganoong lumalabas yung palo nila so pupukpok pa kami sa hitting. Sa defense okay naman,” Tayag said.
The UST Tiger Softbelles will open their second-round campaign against the Ateneo Blue Lady Eagles at the UP Diliman Baseball Field on March 13, at 3 p.m.
