Coming off a victory in their previous outing, the DLSU Lady Batters were unable to sustain their momentum, bowing to the UP Fighting Maroons, 4-0, in their Round 1 matchup of the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Softball Tournament earlier today, March 3, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Locked in a tight duel on the mound through the early innings, DLSU’s Laira Silverio and UP’s KC Valino kept both offenses in check before a late breakthrough swung the contest in favor of the Fighting Maroons.
Defensive standoff
DLSU showed early promise in the opening frame after Cassandra Inot worked a walk and advanced into scoring position to spark an initial threat. However, Valino steadied herself inside the circle, escaping further damage as a 6-4 force play recorded the first out before a 6-3 groundout and a routine putout stranded the runners to keep the contest scoreless. In response, Silverio matched her counterpart in the bottom half, retiring the Fighting Maroons in order with a popout to second, a groundout, and a flyout to shortstop.
A quick inning followed for the Green-and-White in the second inning, as Daniela Cabangon lifted a fly ball to left field to open the sequence before a pinch-hitting appearance ended in a strikeout and Team Captain Jazmin Visaya was retired to cap off the inning. The Lady Batters struggled to generate momentum at the plate, unable to advance a baserunner as UP’s defense kept the pressure contained. In response, Silverio continued to control the circle, retiring the Fighting Maroons in order as Nickole Dela Cruz fouled out to the catcher, Martine Francisco struck out swinging, and Generose Torremocha lifted a fly ball to shortstop, preserving the scoreless stalemate in two innings.
The deadlock persisted in the third inning as Inot flew out to center before the Jeshelle Magdamit-led batting slot grounded out to shortstop. A potential spark for La Salle was halted, as UP executed a sharp defensive play to retire Visaya. In the bottom frame, the Fighting Maroons showed signs of life when Jam Rasco reached safely on a ball to center field, but the threat was short-lived.
April Gonzales managed to reach base to spark a potential breakthrough in the fourth, but the opportunity quickly unraveled as UP executed a sharp 6-4 double play to erase the threat on the basepaths. The defensive sequence shifted momentum back to the Fighting Maroons, and a strikeout looking in the ensuing at-bat capped the top half, once again keeping the Lady Batters off the scoreboard. UP attempted to respond in the bottom frame, generating a brief two-out rally as Angel Pascual and Francisco reached safely to apply pressure. However, Silverio remained composed inside the circle, inducing a 1-3 groundout to quell the threat and maintain the scoreless deadlock through four innings.
Mound mastery snapped
The fifth inning served as an efficient defensive clinic, mirroring the deadlock that defined the first four frames. Silverio remained a composed force on the mound for DLSU, throwing pitch after pitch to neutralize the UP lineup. After Rasco grounded out, Silverio and the La Salle infield made quick work of Cadagdan and Subaldo, with the latter flying out. While UP demonstrated they could find contact, DLSU’s elite ground coverage proved to be the ultimate equalizer, recovering instantly to shut down any momentum. The bottom half of the inning was a symmetrical display of defensive prowess; where Valino retired the side in order, forcing a groundout and two flyouts to keep the scoreboard frozen in a scoreless stalemate.
The silence was shattered in the top of the sixth as UP’s offense finally cracked the code against Silverio. Following an initial flyout, the Maroons leaned into small ball, using a bunt by Danica Aquino and a savvy plate appearance by Pascual to put runners on the corners. The floodgates opened when Dela Cruz smoked a double RBI to reach third, followed by a single RBI from Martine Francisco. By the time Generose Torremocha drove Francisco home, UP had surged to a 4-0 lead. Despite a brief medical timeout for Rasco due to leg cramps, the momentum stayed firmly with the Maroons. DLSU’s bats remained quiet in the bottom half, as Valino continued her mastery of the zone to leave the Lady Batters searching for answers.
Desperation set in for DLSU in the final frame. After Joerjette Jordan took over pitching duties to hold UP scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Lady Batters launched a gritty, last-ditch comeback attempt. Tiffany Labargan breathed life into the dugout by battling through a full count to secure first base, later replaced by pinch-runner Alipato. Daniella Cabangon kept the flickering hopes alive with a clutch hit to dead center, moving runners into scoring position. However, with the pressure mounting and the tying run still a distant dream, Jerryl Duller’s final hit resulted in a tag-up that fell just short of a miracle. UP’s defense held firm to seal the victory and proved that in a game of inches, their sixth-inning explosion was the definitive difference.
Following a dominant shutout in their previous outing, Lady Batters Head Coach Jasper Cabrera attributed the team’s inability to find the scoreboard against UP; it was a mix of mental fatigue and a lack of “killer instinct” in high-pressure moments.
Despite specifically preparing for UP’s pitching and starting Silverio to set the tone, Cabrera noted that the players struggled to adjust as the game progressed. He observed that the psychological hurdle of stepping up was the issue, stating, “Ang hirap maka-adjust ng mga bata, ‘yung nerbyos, yung pag step-up, bumigay sila sa huli.” He further emphasized that the team must address their tendency to falter in the final stretch.
(The kids have a hard time adjusting, the nervousness, stepping up, they gave out in the end.)
On the defensive end, Cabrera identified critical lapses in decision-making and base running as the primary culprits for the loss. He credited Silverio for holding the line but lamented that errors in judgment cost them scoring opportunities, emphasizing that the game shifted entirely in a single inning where a defensive error was immediately punished by hits.
Looking forward, he plans to regroup the team for their clash against the AdU Lady Falcons on March 10, telling his players, “’Wag kayo ma-intimidate sa Adamson, labanan natin ‘yan [sa] next game.”
(Don’t be intimidated by Adamson, we’ll bring the fight to them in the next game.)
