The road of redemption for the DLSU Lady Batters will be a long one, as they succumbed to the formidable NU Lady Bulldogs, 9-2, in their first game of UAAP Season 79. The Lady Batters found themselves facing an early 4-0 deficit in the third inning before managing to score a run in the third and fifth innings.
The Lady Bulldogs seared DLSU’s struggling infield play, punctuated by two inside-the-park homeruns by Dyan Arago and Aimee Watson. Starting pitcher Jamica Arribas surrendered 11 hits. However, it was spotty outfield play which spelled the demise for the Lady Batters.
The first inning saw starting pitchers Arribas and NU’s Mia Macapagal refuse to give up a base hit to keep the game scoreless. However, NU would eventually bring in two runs the following inning and another pair in the third.
Meanwhile, the Lady Batters willed themselves back into the game at the bottom of the third inning. With two runners in scoring position, Chinny Ejar hit a sac fly to the right outfield to bring rookie Roselle Dela Rosa home and put DLSU on the board, 4-1.
The following inning, team captain Jen Gomez scored off a single by Pat Belarmino to cut the NU lead, 4-2, by the end of the fourth.
However, the Lady Bulldogs would respond in a big way in the following inning, highlighted by an Arago 3-run inside-the-park homerun, stretching the lead, 8-2, and putting the game away.
Another leadoff in-the-park homerun in the sixth by Watson pushed the NU lead, 9-2. This prompted head coach Alex Epistular to relieve Arribas off her pitching duties , substituting her with Benson, who finished the inning off with three straight outs. By the sixth inning, and with NU securing the final out, DLSU was forced to concede en route to its first loss.
The Lady Batters look to bounce back as they face the UE Lady Warriors on Monday, February 6, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Field.
