THE UST Tiger Softbelles will battle for bronze after falling to the UP Fighting Maroons, 6-1, in their final elimination-round game in the UAAP Season 87 softball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium on Saturday, March 29.
The Tiger Softbelles ended the eliminations with a 3-5 record, setting up a bronze-medal showdown against the DLSU Lady Batters, who finished with the same record after losing to the finals-bound Adamson Lady Falcons on Saturday afternoon.
UP will enter the finals in second place with a 6-2 slate.
“That was our poorest performance this season. Hindi tinulungan ng pitchers, madaming errors ang depensa. Sa opensa ganoon din,” UST head coach Sandy Barredo told the Varsitarian.
“Tignan na lang natin sa next game. Revamp lang ako nang revamp. Kung sino na lang tataya, ‘yon na lang aasahan ko.”
After three scoreless innings, UP drew first blood as Danica Aquino scored the leadoff run with a Nickole de la Cruz RBI single. De la Cruz then crossed home herself following multiple UST defensive errors, putting UP up 2-0.
UP doubled the lead in the same inning as Aila Subaldo drove in Erika Ocampo and Maria Caoagdan with a two-RBI single, 4-0.
On the mound, pitchers Jammin Rasco and Kacelyn Valino kept UST batters at bay, limiting them to only two hits in the first six innings.
De la Cruz added two insurance runs alongside pinch runner Laica Atlas in the top of the seventh inning as UST’s errors piled up, pushing the lead to 6-0.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Helga Campos tried to ignite a late rally after hitting an RBI single that plated pinch runner Mae Teves, but rookie Shenna Europa lineed out to end the game.
UST starter Celine Chang started hot but struggled in the middle innings, finishing the game with four hits and two earned runs while also striking out two batters. Meanwhile, Mary Beronilla struck out four batters but gave up one run.
The UAAP has yet to announce the schedule for the playoffs.
