IN A game decided only in its final inning, the Ateneo Softball Team showed off their best form all season long, rallying to erase a 0-3 deficit to keep the game close down the stretch against the poised University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors. This 4-5 defeat on Monday, February 25, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila, leaves the Lady Eagles with a 0-5 record in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Softball Tournament.

The first inning ended in a stalemate, 0-0, but saw a great deal of action, as both teams showed promising defensive performances. Ateneo rookie Margaux Perez stole a home run with a pristine catch over the fence to keep it scoreless at the bottom of the first, with Pitcher Kevyn Lacson striking out UE’s Ma. Lourdes Blanco. Mica Lito and Vanessa Dumadapat drew first blood for UE in the second inning, with Lito bringing home Leslie Latina and notching a point herself off an RBI-double from Dumadapat to end the inning at 0-2.

UE continued to clamp down defensively in the third inning; the Lady Warriors earned two outs early with a Perez flyout to third base and a quick out at first on Co-captain Sam Baterina. A Kat Santos tag on second base put UE back at bat. Lady Warrior Jane Garayan took her opportunity and added another run for the Lady Warriors at the bottom of the third inning, to bump up the score to 0-3 heading into the fourth. Third baseman Yla Trinidad completed a crucial out, cutting the Lady Warriors’ run short.

The fourth inning saw the turning point of the game for the Lady Eagles as they turned up the heat offensively to get on the scoreboard. With two outs for Ateneo, Trinidad hit a single out to right-field, keeping the team alive. Alisha Vergara responded with a booming shot to right-field, allowing Trinidad to make it home and reach third base herself. UE returned to bat after the next play, but the Lady Eagles were building a head of steam offensively.

With the score at 1-3 at the bottom of the fourth inning, UE looked to regain control of the game. UE’s Theresa Mae Bernante did just that, earning another point for UE, courtesy of a Blanco hit to centerfield. Shortstop Gabby Macatulad ended the inning with a jumping catch to deny UE’s Imee Salvador and put Ateneo back at bat.

Ateneo kept the offense flowing in the fifth inning, with Baterina and Noelle Dela Cruz getting on base quickly. A Therese Macasaet flyout turned into an error from UE’s Kiana Pajarillaga and helped Dela Cruz make it home to put the Lady Eagles within striking distance at 2-4. Catcher Jill San Juan then delivered the equalizer on the next play, with a terrific 2-RBI single that brought Baterina and Macasaet safely home to even it up at 4-4. UE stopped the bleeding with an out on Angel Africa at home plate. Ateneo stayed hot defensively, keeping the Lady Warriors scoreless to end the fifth inning.

UE answered back at the top of the sixth with three consecutive flyouts, denying Ateneo the chance to gain the lead. Bernante finally delivered the deciding point for UE at the bottom of the sixth, putting the score at 4-5. The Lady Eagles replied quickly with a highlight-reel double play to tag Imee Salvador at first base and return to bat.

Ateneo remained sharp defensively, as Baterina made it to third with one out. The Ateneo Co-Captain looked to score the tying point for Ateneo from third base, but was tagged out by catcher Vanessa Dumadapat at home plate to end the game. The final score was 4-5, with UE preventing an Ateneo comeback.

Coach Joy Lasquite was quick to commend her players for their fighting spirit, while citing some issues that influenced the final outcome. “Sobrang ganda ng performance natin ngayon; nagkaproblema lang sa baserunning at paluan, at kinapos tayo sa seventh inning.”

(We had such a great performance today; the only problems were the baserunning and batting, and that we fell short in the seventh inning.)

With the team slated to take on the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons on Thursday, Coach Lasquite and the Ateneo lady batters hope that their performance against UE will be the start of better things to come.

The Lady Eagles will face UP for their final game of the first round on Thursday, February 28, 9:00 AM, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila.

Photo by Jason Mariano

Editor’s Note: Yla Trinidad’s plays in the third and fourth innings have been recounted inaccurately. We have also inaccurately labeled Sam Baterina as Team Captain and not Co-captain. We have since made the proper changes to the article. We apologize for the inaccuracies.