STILL SEEKING to record their first win in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 79 Softball tournament, the Ateneo Lady Eagles fell to the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, earning their fifth loss of the first round on Monday, February 13.
Superior batting coupled with a strong performance from Mia Macapagal on the mound propelled the Lady Bulldogs to victory, as NU managed a 6-0 shutout of the Lady Eagles by the top of the seventh inning.
Runs were scarce early in the game, with Ateneo batters finding difficulty in knocking hits past the Lady Bulldogs’ infield to bring their runners home for the score. The Lady Eagles’ defensive firepower, however, compensated for the their lackluster offense, forcing a struggle for runs in the attempt to break the deadlock.
NU opened fire with warning shots at the bottom of the first, as leadoff Aimee Watson faced starting pitcher Kevyn Lacson and launched a rocket into deep center that looked to sail over the outfield marker. Centerfielder Bea Parma then made a daring leap to prevent the score and grab the catch for the first out, crashing into the fence to rob Watson of her homerun. The Lady Bulldogs eventually drew first blood three batters later after a double from NU’s Macapagal sent home Ghene Nietes to bring the score to 1-0.
Resilient defense proved to be the Lady Eagles saving grace as they fought tooth and nail to get on the scoreboard, with the team failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities against NU starting pitcher Rina Vailoces. Parma continued to be an anchor on the outfield, while second baseman Sam Baterina engineered a double play to put two NU baserunners away. Rookie Kevyn Lacson held the Lady Bulldogs scoreless for the succeeding two innings, supported by several crucial infield plays from captain Ira Nevalga on shortstop.
The top of the fourth then blessed the Lady Eagles with a golden opportunity to change the tide. With catcher Jill San Juan safely on first, veteran right-fielder Kat Villa-Real knocked a pop-up into center that caught the outfield playing too deep to put runners safely on first and second. Another hit from designated player Abby Gutierrez rattled the NU infield, loading the bases to give Ateneo the chance to steal ahead.
Deciding not to gamble, Lady Bulldogs Coach Edgar delos Reyes subbed Vailoces out in place of Mia Macapagal, who then made short work of the next two batters to end Ateneo’s last major attempt to take the game. Noelle dela Cruz and Parma both made contact, but calm defense from the NU infield facilitated their escape into the next inning.
NU eventually broke away at bottom of the fourth, as Dyan Arago and Grace Blanco hauled in an RBI each to extend the team’s lead to 3-0. The bottom of the fifth then saw the Lady Bulldogs spark a three-run rally to bring the score to 6-0, further widening the gap as the Lady Eagles approached their last at bat.
The bottom of the sixth marked Ateneo’s final run at the comeback, with Nevalga putting on a defensive show at shortstop to claim responsibility for three outs off three consecutive batters. Defense, however, was not enough to make up for a shortage of hitting, and the Lady Eagles then called it a day in a seven inning shutout.
Heading into the last game of the first round, coach Randy Dizer maintains that stronger presence at the plate and on the bases has been a vital but missing factor throughout the season.
“They’re a young team, and we’re learning every game to gradually minimize those errors,” says Dizer, “It’s a learning process, and hopefully we’ll get that win sooner.”
The loss bumps the Lady Eagles’ record down to 0-5, and the team plays their last match of the first round against the University of the East (UE) on Thursday, February 16 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Ateneo Lady Eagles drop the match, 6-0, to the NU Lady Bulldogs
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