THE UST Softbelles won their fifth consecutive game as they escaped the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, 4-3, in the UAAP softball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Stadium last Jan. 18.
The España-based batters recovered in the last two innings to complete their come-from-behind victory.
Down by two after three innings, UST quickly went to work as Cristy Roa finally scored in the fourth frame after Jonalie Almonia’s right field bat went between the legs of UE’s second baseman.
Mallows Garde then tied the match at two via a Run Batted In (RBI) double.
The Softbelles took the lead in the next inning as Jocelyn Ungsod hit a right field flyer that sent Honey Lacupa to home base, before UST scored another RBI in the sixth inning off a grounder by Kristel Angeles.
In their final game for the first round of eliminations last Jan. 11, the Softbelles whipped the University of the Philippines, 9-3.
Building on its morale-boosting 12-5 rout of Season 75 runner-up National University (NU) just three days earlier, UST fired five quick runs at the top of the first inning for a 5-0 lead.
“This is a follow through game against NU. I told the girls that they should trust themselves because definitely, NU is stronger than UP. We just had minor adjustments coming into this game,” coach Sandy Barredo said.
UST kept the Lady Maroons scoreless in the next three innings before Mara Jimenez, who capitalized on an error, put UP on the board at the bottom of the fifth.
The Softbelles then responded with two RBIs in the sixth inning as Angelique Benjamin’s centerfield hit sent both Sundai Alipato and Lacupa to home base, 7-1.
In their win against NU last Jan. 8, the Softbelles exacted revenge on the Lady Bulldogs who denied them of a finals berth last season.
The Softbelles relied on fluid batting early in the fourth inning to build a six-point lead over NU. They were a point shy of ending the game via mercy rule at the bottom of the fourth.
