THE ATENEO Blue Eagles were denied their first win of the UAAP Season 86 tourney as they drop their match against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Softbelles via mercy rule, 2-9. The six-inning affair was held earlier today at the UP Diliman Baseball Field in Quezon City.
Maria Rocio Macasaet got an early appearance on-base in the first inning, but her chance to come home was stopped after a groundout by Alia Tuprio Meanwhile, UST’s Lyca Blanco would take advantage of the runner on, as an RBI hit by Maria Charlotte Sales in the succeeding inning brought a run home, 1-0. Ateneo countered in the succeeding frame after Kyle Angeline Mejilliano’s sacrifice fly brought home Rochelle Nicole Dacutan to knot the ballgame up, 1-1.
However, the Tiger Softbelles overshadowed the Blue and White’s efforts in the bottom of the second inning, retaking the lead after sending home five runs to take the lead back, 6-1.
Macasaet would score Ateneo’s second and final run of the game in the third, with two-way player Julia Carsi Cruz scoring a triple beforehand to cut into the deficit, 2-6. The España-based squad answered back in an explosive manner as Helga Campos launched an inside-the-park home run to nullify the Blue Eagles’ efforts, 2-7.
The defense of both teams strengthened in the next two cantos, going scoreless after a series of fly- and strike-outs in the fourth inning left the home plate clean. The fifth was then highlighted by the Tiger Softbelles notching a 1-2-3 inning in the top half while the Blue and White’s reliever Jessica Gail Daquigan blanked the opposition in the bottom half.
However, the drought would be short lived as Erika Fernandez and Maria Christine Bautista’s runs ended the match via mercy rule in the sixth frame, dashing any potential Atenean comeback, 2-9.
The Blue Eagles’ chase for their first win of the season will continue when they face the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Batters on March 16, 5pm at the same venue.
Editor’s Note: Alia Tuprio is the Broadcast News Editor of The GUIDON.
Inning scores: 0-1, 1-5, 1-1, 0-0, 0-0, 0-2
Current Standings (W/L)
- AdU Lady Falcons (4-0)
- UST Tiger Softbelles (4-1)
- UP Fighting Maroons (2-2)
- DLSU Lady Batters (1-3)
- ATENEO BLUE EAGLES (0-5)
