THE UST Tiger Softbelles took control in the sixth inning to outlast the DLSU Lady Batters, 12-9, in their UAAP Season 87 softball tournament opener at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
DLSU held a slim one-run lead, 8-7, in the bottom of the sixth when UST pinch hitter Mae Teves hit a two-RBI triple, driving in Anne Patricio and Jojielyn Lim to put the Tiger Softbelles ahead, 9-8.
UST’s Angela Solidarios followed with an RBI single to plate Teves before a single and a series of walks allowed Solidarios and Aiza Ganciar to extend the lead, 12-8.
The Lady Batters attempted a late comeback in the seventh, scoring one more run, but UST pitcher Celine Chang retired the next three batters to secure UST the opening win, 12-9.
“Nag-improve naman kami from preseason pero kulang pa,” UST head coach Sandy Barredo said postgame. “Buti lumabas na agad kanina.”
“Kulang pa sa exposure ‘yong pitchers ko. Buti naman, naka-hold (si Chang).” he added.
DLSU got off to a hot start, capitalizing on Ganciar’s defensive errors to score two runs in the top of the first inning, 2-0.
However, UST quickly responded in the bottom of the first after an error by DLSU’s April Gonzales allowed leadoff hitter Lyca Blanco to cross home plate, 2-1.
Rookie Shenna Europa relieved Chang in the top third as DLSU drove in three more runs to extend its lead to 5-1.
The Tiger Softbelles recovered in the bottom of the inning, trimming the deficit to two, 5-3. Blanco and Helga Campos later scored off a Genesis Degollacion RBI double and an Erika Fernandez sacrifice fly, respectively, to tie the game at 5-all.
Though Europa allowed three earned runs in the top of the fifth, Ganciar’s RBI single and a Campos sacrifice fly helped UST inch closer in the bottom half as Lim and Solidarios scored, 8-7.
The UST Tiger Softbelles will seek to continue their momentum against the defending champions Adamson Lady Falcons at the same venue on Saturday, March 1, at 10 a.m.
