THE ATENEO Softball Team (AST) suffers another defeat at the hands of the Adamson University (AdU) Lady Falcons in their penultimate match of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 Softball tournament, 0-16. The match was held earlier today at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in the City of Manila.
The loss puts the Blue Eagles at a 0-7 record, leaving them at fifth place in the league standings.
Ateneo’s pitching started slow after Jessica Daquigan’s passed ball and wild pitch placed the Lady Falcons’ runners in early scoring positions. Adamson then drew first blood with their opportunity, with Alaiza Talisik’s hit batting Mary Joy Maguad in, 1-0.
The Katipunan-based squad prevented the Lady Falcons’ looming onslaught, with Team Co-Captain Raya Franco’s fielding from third base leaving a runner stranded. Despite their defensive heroics, Ateneo was not able to pounce on Adamson’s fielding errors, ending the first inning scoreless.
The top of the second frame saw Adamson feast on the Katipunan-based team’s pitching struggles, with Jessica Daquigan’s two walks loading the bases. Ateneo failed to stop their San Marcelino-based opponents from scoring, with Maguad converting an inside-the-park grand slam that widened Ateneo’s deficit to 0-5.
Continuing to be a lifeline with her stout defense from third base, Franco finally slowed Adamson’s blitz after her throw to first base retired Talisik. However, the Blue and White offense still could not find answers to the Lady Falcons’ defense, going scoreless again to end the bottom of the second period, 0-5.
The top of the third inning proved to be AST’s undoing, as they allowed the defending champions to go on a red-hot 11-run inning. Victoria Magbanua’s double RBI single started the run which extended the gap to seven for Adamson, 7-0. Fielding errors from the Blue Eagles further ballooned the Lady Falcons’ lead, with Domaug’s bunt batting in both herself and Magbanua, 0-9.
Ateneo continued to be rampaged by Adamson’s offensive flurry, with another RBI single from Talisik and Mae Langga batting Talisik in, 0-11. The Lady Falcons punctuated the inning after five more runs, highlighted by Mea Tubongbanua’s triple for three RBIs, 16-0. With Franco and Daniella De Asis striking out and Team Captain Rocio Macasaet’s hit flying out, the Katipunan-based sluggers were consigned to their seventh loss of the season via mercy rule, 0-16.
Ateneo seeks to end their lowly Season 87 stint on a high note as they play their final match of the season against the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Softbelles on Tuesday, 10 AM at the same venue.
The Lines:
Adamson (16): 1 4 11 x x x x– 16 11 6
Ateneo (0): 0 0 0 x x x x – 0 1 2
Current Standings:
- AdU Lady Falcons (6-0)
- UP Fighting Maroons (4-1)
- UST Tiger Softbelles (3-3)
- DLSU Lady Batters (2-4)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (0-7)
