| SCOREBOARD |
| FINAL | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E |
| UST (2-2), 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 0 |
| ADMU (0-5), 7th | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
The University of Santo Tomas Softbelles secured solo 4th place in the standings with a 9-0 shutout of the still winless Ateneo de Manila University Lady Batters last Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
The Ateneo fielding started off well in the 1st inning with immediate putouts of the first two batters for UST. ADMU starting pitcher Nicki Borromeo, however, gave up a double to Charmaine Oria. Celestine Palma was then walked to 1st base. Luisse Garde then placed the UST Softbelles on the scoreboard with a double RBI double to put UST up 2-0. A single RBI double by sophomore Cristy Joy Roa gave UST a 3-0 lead to end the 1st inning.
ADMU rookie Katrina Villa-Real almost put her team on the scoreboard in the 2nd inning. A double gave Villa-Real 2nd base to start the 2nd inning. A sacrifice bunt by Aira Nevalga then gave the runner 3rd base. Angela Natividad was then hit by a pitch that gave ADMU two bases. However, it was not meant to be as a double play ensued after a grounder was caught for by UST 2nd basewoman Hannah dela Torre for the Natividad out and passed to 1st basewoman Garde for the ouster of Shereen Salvatiera.
A freak accident occurred at the bottom of the 3rd inning when Clarisse Dacanay was hit by a ball that ricocheted from her bat to her forehead. Dacanay was down for a while and had the medical staff assist her to the bench. Dakki was able to recover but had to be subbed out of the game by sophomore Anna La O’ as the team’s 1st basewoman.
After giving up two hits in the first two innings, UST sophomore pitcher May Ann Antolihao gave up just a single hit the rest of the way, including a strikeout of three ADMU batters. Moreover, she only allowed four opposing batters to reach base in the game.
The UST Softbelles sealed the game in the 6th inning with six runs. Antolihao hit a single as second on bat for the Softbelles. A fly ball caught by ADMU 2nd basewoman Salvatiera resulted to the second out of the inning for UST. Kristine Lacupa and Oria hit consecutive singles, the latter resulting to an RBI that gave Antolihao a run. A double RBI double by Palma extended the UST lead to 6-0. A single by Garde gave UST two more bases once more. Roa then popped a homerun to center field to score three more runs for UST. The game ended at the 6th inning with a score of 9-0.
The UST Softbelle offense was carried by Roa with a run, two hits and three RBIs, including a three-run homerun. Oria had a good outing as well with two runs, three hits (2 1B and a 2B) and an RBI. Palma and Garde also had two RBI’s each and scored two runs.
UST starting pitcher Antolihao had another superb outing in giving up just three hits and striking out three batters. A total of three runners were left on base by the UST defense.
Minimizing errors was the priority of UST Softbelles head coach Sandy Barredo. The softbelles from España committed no errors in the game.
The UST Softbelles will try to gain their third win of the season against the NU Lady Bulldogs on Wednesday, February 11 at 1pm while the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Batters will face the UP Lady Maroons at 9am. Both games will still be played at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
