MAE Langga drove in her second home run of the season to lead Adamson University’s three-inning domination of Ateneo de Manila University, 25–0, securing the Lady Falcons’ second consecutive win in the UAAP Season 88 Softball Tournament on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.
The 13-peat-seeking Lady Falcons rose to the provisional solo lead at 2–0, while the other undefeated team, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, was set to play the De La Salle Lady Batters as of this writing. The tournament is held in partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission.
After a relatively quiet, six-hit performance in their 4–0 victory over the University of Santo Tomas, Adamson found its rhythm against Ateneo, with senior slugger Langga leading the way.
With an 8–0 lead heading into the second inning, Langga—heroine of Adamson’s Game 2 Finals victory over UP last season—sealed the game in style by sending Gabrielli Profeta’s pitch over the left-center fence, putting the final stamp on the 25–0 score.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“At least after nga nung first game, medyo nag-focus kami sa hitting namin. And maganda ‘yung hitting namin today, like si Langga ‘yung homerun niya ‘no, tapos nagsusunod-sunod din, naging timely ‘yung kanilang mga hits. Kailangan kasi namin ‘to do’n sa two remaining games namin (ng first round) kasi sabi ko nga kanila, palakas nang palakas ang mga kalaban,” said long-time head coach Ana Santiago.
Langga finished with three hits and four RBIs in Adamson’s explosive offensive showing, while Reyae Villamin contributed four hits and three RBIs in a game where the Lady Falcons racked up 16 hits.
Glory Alonzo was solid on the mound, allowing just a walk and striking out two Ateneo batters, while April Minanga closed the game with a strikeout and two easy infield putouts, finishing the contest in just over an hour.
Adamson will need this momentum, according to Santiago, as they prepare to face the UP Fighting Maroons in a Finals rematch on Saturday at 9 a.m., still at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
“Ako naman, siyempre, expected ko when they play UP and La Salle, magiging maganda ‘yung game kasi talaga nga namang malakas ang kalaban namin, and at the same time, ang sabi ko kanila is, composure lang, magkaroon lang sila ng presence of mind. Just trust the process, kung anong pinag-train nila,” Santiago added.
“Kailangan nilang bitbitin ‘yung kumpiyansa. Let’s see kung paano naman sila maglalaro sa next game against the nakalaban namin for the past three years sa championship. Let’s see kung paano magre-respond din ‘yung mga bagong player natin sa gano’ng klaseng laro; do’n natin makikita.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Ateneo was limited to a single base runner—Zyrah De Guzman’s walk in the second inning—and for the third straight game, the Lady Blue Eagles went hitless.
Three pitchers tried to contain Adamson’s offense, but the 12 runs allowed by Ashlee Tuprio in just 1.1 innings proved too much to overcome.
| TEAMS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ateneo | x | x | x | x | 2 | |||||
| AdU | 8 | 17 | x | x | x | x | x | 25 | 16 |
