The DLSU Lady Batters started off their Round Two of the UAAP Season 87 Softball Tournament strong with a narrow victory over the UST Golden Tigresses, 6-5, in an early high-scoring affair earlier today, March 15, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Joerjette Jordan pitched a complete game and added two RBIs on the hitting side, while Ciarina Eder starred with a homerun and three RBIs.
Early slugfest
Looking to put their Round One woes behind them, the Lady Batters came out swinging. After stranding two UST runners at the top of the first, La Salle took immediate control of the game at the bottom of the inning, leaping to a 3-0 lead. April Gonzales opened the scoring with an RBI double after two singles from Cassandra Inot and Eder, and starting pitcher Jordan dealt the critical blow with a two-RBI double that opened up the 3-0 advantage.
However, the lead did not last long as the Golden Tigresses stormed right back with a three-run inning of their own to tie the game at the top of the second, 3-all. After giving up a leadoff walk to Ann Patricio and a double to Helga Campos, Angela Solidarios hit a sacrifice fly to left field to put UST on the board. Another walk and double set the stage for Teresa Blanco to level the score with a two-RBI triple.
Despite immediately losing their advantage, the Lady Batters stayed aggressive and maintained their hot hitting in the bottom of the second. After two quick outs, the top of the order came through with Inot hitting a double and Tiffany Labargan drawing a walk. Seeing the bases loaded, Eder came up with the play of the game as she took advantage of the right fielder misjudging her hit, turning it into a three-run inside-the-park homerun to give La Salle a better advantage, 6-3.
Both teams cooled off in the third inning, allowing no runs in the period. However, the España-based squad once again came alive in the top of the fourth inning after pinch hitter Angel Bedaño hit a leadoff solo homer to bring the Golden Tigresses to within two. Following this, Jojielyn Lim cut the deficit to one with an RBI-single after Jordan gave up a walk to Aiza Ganciar and a base hit to Blanco. The Taft-based squad were just able to hold on in the fourth inning, clinging to a thin gap, 6-5.
Finishing touches
With their lead narrowed down to one, the Lady Batters quickly ensured an early end to the top of the fifth. The Lasallian defense were on their toes, catching Patricio in first base despite her hit. While Ryza Zapra got to first base, the Green-and-White got a double out as they halted Bedaño after her hit and caught Zapra trying to get to second base, ending the top of the fifth. The Lady Batters found no luck in the bottom of the fifth as their hits landed directly at the gloves of the Golden Tigresses.
La Salle eventually made quick work of UST in the sixth inning. Jordan struck out Ganciar while her squad backed her up, catching all of the Thomasians’ next hits to reach the bottom inning immediately. DLSU had promising chances to get another run at the bottom of the sixth as Jeryll Duller and Inot loaded the bases. However, they were unable to get past the UST defense as they were beaten by the throws of the Golden Tigresses before moving further up.
At the top of the seventh, the Lady Batters forced two early outs. However, tensions rose when Patricio got to first base. Nonetheless, the Lasallian defense ensured to end the inning and secure the victory after they caught Zapra’s hit, 6-5.
After the game, DLSU Coach Jasper Cabrera shared that limiting the errors is key since he sees that his team, especially the rookies, are slowly adjusting since the first round: “Iwasan natin ‘yung mga errors kasi hindi natin mapigilan ‘yung emotion ng mga player, kasi ‘yung pressure hindi ma-control kasi nga may mga rookies. [Kahit] nakaka-adjust dahan-dahan, pero sayang runs ng UST dahil sa errors.”
(Let’s limit the errors because we really can’t stop the emotions of the players, because we can’t control the pressure since there are rookies. Though, slowly but surely, they are able to adjust, UST’s runs were a shame because of the errors.)
Coach Cabrera adds that Eder’s game winning hit was something he saw in training, deciding that promoting her in the batting lineup proved to be the right decision, “‘Yun ang sabi ko sa kanya, binago ko ‘yung batting lineup. Nilagay ko si Eder sa taas kasi maganda ang pinapalo niya sa training, kaya buti naman nag-click ‘yung hitting niya. Sabi ko nung may taong dalawa [sa bases], natural [lang], ‘wag kang magbabago.”
(I told her that I changed the batting lineup. I put Eder further up since her hits were good in training, and thankfully her hits clicked today. I also told her when there were two in the bases, stay natural, don’t change.)
After this victory, the Lady Batters now stand at 2-3. They will be looking to improve their record when they take on archrivals the ADMU Blue Eagles on Tuesday, March 18, at 10 am at the same venue.
