DE LA SALLE University bounced back in emphatic fashion, breaking through the UAAP Season 88 Softball win column with an 18–0, three-inning rout of Ateneo de Manila University, Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.
The Lady Batters now share third place with their previous-game tormentors, the University of Santo Tomas Softbelles, holding a 1–1 win-loss record.
Just last Tuesday, DLSU suffered a disappointing 1–2 walk-off loss to UST, but this time, they ensured victory at the start of the tournament, which is held in partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Eight runs in the second inning turned a five-run lead into an insurmountable advantage, as the Lady Batters capitalized on the Blue Eagles’ errors.
The rally began with three straight hits from Cassandra Inot, Ciarina Eder, and Shein Espinosa.
Espinosa sent Inot home for the seventh run, and an error on an attempt to retire Tiffany Labargan scored both Eder and the rookie catcher.
Four more runs later, the game was effectively put out of reach, extending DLSU’s streak against Ateneo to three.
“Ang sabi ko after the game (against UST), huwag masyadong malungkot tutal ando’n na ‘yon eh, first game. Pero gigil talaga, nandoon na sana ‘yung momentum namin eh,” said head coach Jasper Cabrera. “Kaya ang sabi ko, balik tayo sa field, regroup and then, umpisa ulit; babawi tayo sa Ateneo, kapag nanalo tayo, sunod-sunod na ‘yan.”
Joergette Jordan and Laira Silverio combined for a no-hitter and an error-free outing against Ateneo, with rookie Silverio striking out four batters across the second and third innings.
Inot led DLSU with two hits and one RBI, but it was Eder’s timely plays — including a sacrifice fly to score Inot and a hit in the second inning that resulted in two RBIs — that set the tone for the Lady Batters’ offense, which totaled 11 hits.
The Lady Batters will face last season’s finalists, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, on Tuesday at 11 a.m., and Cabrera expects the same intensity his players showed against the Blue Eagles.
“Ngayon nakikita na namin. Ang sabi ko, itong mga girls, ‘pag naglaro lang kayo nang natural, ‘yan ‘yung galing niyo. Kaya huwag kayong magpa-intimidate sa malalakas, like sa Adamson, sa UP, sa UST, tiwala lang sa sarili at kaya natin ‘yan silang sabayan,” said the concurrent national men’s squad mentor.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
After being limited to one base in their previous game, the Blue Eagles were shut down entirely as DLSU’s defense remained airtight.
Katrice Ditchon bore most of the early damage, allowing nine runs on six hits, while Marvelous Romano surrendered the remaining nine runs on five hits.
Ateneo will face reigning champion Adamson University next, also on Tuesday at 9 a.m.
| TEAMS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLSU | 5 | 8 | 5 | x | x | x | x | 18 | 11 | |
| Ateneo | x | x | x | x | 8 |
