ADAMSON University moved a victory shy of extending its reign in softball to seven years while Ateneo gained a head start in men’s baseball in Season 79 University Athletic Association of the Philippines action.
The Lady Falcons took to the Rizal Memorial diamond at 8 .m. on Tuesday, bucked a slow start on the way to routing University of Santo Tomas (UST), 9-2, in six innings to move closer to snatching a record 16th championship.
The Blue Eagles, on the other hand, took on the Growling Tigers starting at noon on the same field and booked a similer 9-2 victory for a 1-0 lead in the race-to-two baseball championship series.
Adamson University’s Lyca Basa played with an aching hand but still finished a three-strikeout effort to compliment Angelie Ursabia three RBIs in the one-sided match.
After giving up two runs at the top first inning, the Lady Falcons countered with five runs as UST pitcher Mary Ann Antolihao struggled big time.
UST never recovered from there and lost Antolihao late in the fourth inning to a knee injury.
Mallows Garde replaced Antolihao with Adamson University ahead, 7-2, but her effort was not enough to bail the España-based team out of the rut.
Antolihao is doubtful for Game Two set on Friday in the same venue.
“I told the girls ‘no pressure,’ there’s nothing new in the Finals. ‘Just do what you’ve been doing in the first two rounds,” Lady Falcons coach Ana Santiago said.
The Tigresses clinched two runs from Celestine Palma and Lealyn Guevarra, but the Lady Falcons got into the groove with Riezel Calumbres, Lorna Adorable, Flor Pabiania, Gelyn Lamata and Ursabia waxing hot on the plate.
Ateneo coach Randy Dizer, meanwhile, stressed that his team is determined to erase the pain of last season’s Finals loss to fierce rival De La Salle that ended the Katipunan-based sluggers’ three-year reign.
“Right, after last year, we wanted to get it back,” Dizer said.
The Blue Eagles shoot for their fourth title in five seasons in Game 2 also starting at noon on Friday.
With the bases loaded, the Growling Tigers surrendered three walks to hand the Blue Eagles a 4-1 lead at the bottom third.
Javi Macasaet singled to send Dino Altamonte and Radito Banzon home for an 8-1 Ateneo advantage in the bottom sixth.
Image credits: Roy Domingo