THE ATENEO Lady Eagles completed their rally, as they snatched a 6-5 victory over the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors in extra innings. Clutch performances by Jill San Juan, Gabby Macatulad and Nicki Borromeo coupled with an impressive performance on the mound by Captain Ira Nevalga helped seal the win for Ateneo.
Both team’s starting pitchers showed their offensive skill to start the scoring as UE’s Redaja hit a long flyball to center field for a 2 RBI triple in the bottom of the 2nd. Her counterpart, Nevalga, answered with a left field hit that brought home Gabby Macatulad, who sidestepped past the catcher for the score.
However, the Lady Warriors proceeded to extend the lead up to 3 in the bottom of the 3rd. Niloban’s ground ball escaped 3rd base territory and into the outfield. She was then brought home by Salvador’s flyball which landed at center field.
Unfortunately for the Lady Warriors, Nevalga and the Ateneo defense would hold them scoreless for the next four innings to spark an offensive barrage. Rookie Jill San Juan’s RBI double in the 6th would help kick-start the rally and bring UE’s lead back down to 2.
Despite being injured, junior Bea Parma opened the top of the 7th with an important single. Macatulad’s third consecutive hit and subsequent steal of the 2nd left the door open for Ateneo. Nicki Borromeo stood at the plate working with 2 runners at 2nd and 3rd, but also with 2 outs.
“You just hit. You just hit the way you know you can,” Borromeo said of her feeling before the crucial at-bat.
And Borromeo’s drive to center brought home both Parma and Macatulad to tie the game and eventually bring it to extra innings.
In the top of the 8th, Jill San Juan swung on the first pitch she saw and brought home Trinidad, who was already at 2nd due to the last out rule for extra innings. San Juan then escaped for home plate on an error to give the Lady Eagles an insurance run heading into the bottom of the 8th.
That run proved to be the deciding one, with UE scoring just one run in the 8th to set the final score at 6-5 in favor of Ateneo.
San Juan, who both brought home the big go-ahead run and scored the winning run, showed poise similar to a veteran.
“I was really relaxed… I always say to myself ‘I could hit the ball, I could hit the ball,’and I did,” she said of her winning play. The impressive performance was fitting for the strong-willed catcher, who offered up the game to her late father.
As for the win team, Captain Nevalga pointed out the adjustments on offense as the big key to victory. A season-high of 6 runs showed evidence of the team’s proper adjustments.
Heading into Round 2, Nevalga is clinging on to close the games between University of Santo Tomas (UST) and University of the Philippines (UP), as well as this victory to keep optimistic.
Round 2 gets a rest day this weekend, and resume play next week as they look to improve on their 1-5 record in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Softball Championship.
Ateneo Lady Eagles nab their first victory in the UAAP Season 79 Softball Championships.
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