| SCOREBOARD |
| FINAL | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| ADMU (0-3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| DLSU (2-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | – | 3 | 8 | 2 |
After going just 2-10 last season, the De La Salle University Lady Batters have matched their win totals from last season in just the first three games of the season, with a 3-1 comeback win over the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Batters last Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
The ADMU Lady Batters drew first blood in the game with a Katrina Villa-Real RBI that led to a Catalina Altomonte run. Unlike their first two games of the season, the Ateneo fielders committed just one error in the first four innings of the game. Even when the team gave up five hits in that span of time, no runs were given up.
On the green side, super rookie Jammica Arribas, after giving up a run in the 2nd inning, allowed just two hits the rest of the way including a shutout of the last three innings.
The DLSU offense picked up in the 5th inning when Patricia Belarmino hit a single into right field. A throwing error by Ateneo catcher Altomonte gave base runner Jen Gomez a run to tie the game 1-all. Two runs in the 6th by Maria Victoria Muñoz and Mary Joy Son coming from Ateneo fielding errors gave DLSU a 3-1 lead going into the 7th inning.
Arribas and the DLSU defense did not allow a single hit in the final inning, including a strikeout of Altomonte, to close the game and give DLSU its second win of the season.
After the game, DLSU head coach Alex Estipular told us that he has high hopes for the team. “Ang goal naming this year ay makapasok sa Final Four. Malalim ang team ngayon at maganda ang recruitment.”
Moreover, the DLSU coach was proud of his prized recruit Arribas. “Naka-adjust siya sa seniors’ game. Sana magpatuloy ang (magandang) performance niya.”
Arribas, against the 27 batters she faced, gave up just a single run and 4 hits. First baseman Belarmino reinforced the DLSU defense with 10 putouts.
The DLSU Lady Batters will next play last season’s runners-up the NU Lady Bulldogs while the ADMU Lady Batters will look to upset the Adamson Lady Falcons. Both games are on Wednesday, February 4 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
