AN ERROR-FILLED second inning spelled the difference as the Ateneo Softball Team (0-6) ended its first round on a losing note against the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons (3-2), 0-6, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Softball Tournament on Thursday, February 28, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila.

Both streams struggled to get on the scoreboard in the first inning. The struggle continued for Ateneo at bat at the top of the second inning but the Lady Maroons finally got a break after Gayle Suelto reached second base off a fielding error by the Blue and White. Jhoy Bernabe then sent Suelto home with an RBI double as Suelto.

Keith Ferrer rounded off a tough inning for the Lady Eagles with a run of her own as Ateneo infielders committed several errors. The second inning ended with the Lady Maroons up by four, 0-4.

The Lady Eagles clamped down on defense in the third and fourth innings, fueled by Kevyn Lacson’s excellent pitching. Despite the excellent defense, however, Ateneo’s batting struggles prevented them from trimming the deficit.

Back-to-back errors to start the bottom of the fifth inning sealed the deal for UP after Erika Olfato’s RBI triple brought home Mitch Samanieda for their fifth run of the match. In the ensuing play, Jill San Juan fumbled a catch as Olfato sneaked onto home plate, burying Ateneo in a 0-6 hole.

The UP defense shut down any scoring opportunity for Ateneo in the sixth and seventh innings as Ateneo settled for the tough loss.

After the ball game, Ateneo Coach Joy Lasquite rued her team’s errors, singling it out as the sole reason for the loss. “Natalo tayo from the errors. Sobrang sama ng mga errors ngayon na nag cause ng four runs sa second inning so that’s why medyo na-off na ka agad yung mga bata.”

(We lost because of the errors. The errors were so bad today that it caused four runs in the second inning, and that’s why the kids were quickly thrown off their game.)

Regarding the excellent defensive showing in the third and fourth innings, Coach Lasquite lauded pitcher Kevyn Lacson for a job well done. “I think sobrang stiff lang nila sa first two innings. Gumanda rin yung depensa natin dahil sa pitching natin. Si Kevyn [Lacson] really worked a lot para sa depensa natin. Sumasakto lang na yung mga bola napupunta sa mga kasama niya.”

(I think they were just stiff in the first two innings. But the defense also improved because of our pitching. Kevyn Lacson really worked a lot for our defense, and the hits were also going to our fielders.)

With a few days off before the beginning of the second round, Coach Lasquite admits that the team still has lots of things to improve on. “Sobrang dami. Sa paluan natin at sa depensa. Hindi naman mananalo ang team kung hindi tayo pumapalo ng maganda. At the same time, depensa para matulungan natin ang mga pitchers at catchers natin para maganda rin ang flow ng team.”

(A lot, especially in our batting and defense. The team can’t win if we’re not hitting well. At the same time, defense to help our pitchers and catchers so that the team will also have good flow.)