The UST Tiger Softbelles secured back-to-back wins to finish the first round of the UAAP Season 85 softball tournament at the UP Diliman Baseball Stadium on Saturday.
UST prevailed in its double-header, defeating the De La Salle Green Archers, 9-2, in the morning, and outlasting the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 6-3, in the afternoon.
“Actually this game magaganda ‘yung mga palo nila. ‘Yung mga inaasahan naming hit lumabas, ‘yung communication nila at ‘yung team work nandoon na,” UST assistant coach Esmeralda Tayag told the Varsitarian.
UST gained a 2-1 advantage in the first inning against Ateneo, but Blue Eagle Genesis Denogacion completed a home run to tie the game at 2-all in the third inning.
Down by one in the fourth inning, the Tiger Softbelles took back the lead in the fifth inning as Lyca Blanco reached the home plate, 4-3.
UST’s Royevel Palma then allowed two baserunners to complete their runs after a long hit, 6-3.
In the earlier match, UST dominated La Salle with a clinical 9-2 victory banked on six runs in the fifth inning.
The Tiger Softbelles dropped their first two games of the season against the new league-leading UP Lady Maroons and defending champions Adamson Lady Falcons.
UST secured the third spot in the standings with a 2-2 win-loss record. Ateneo and La Salle, both winless, will cap off the first round on Tuesday, Feb. 28.
The league has yet to announce the schedule for the second round of the tournament.
