Adamson swept the first round of the UAAP Season 87 Softball tournament, blanking La Salle, 7-0, in six innings, Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.
Glory Alonzo, making a surprise appearance at the plate, delivered the finishing blow with a hit to the right side that allowed Alaiza Talisik to score.
Talisik’s run ended the game after one hour and 55 minutes, securing a flawless 4-0 record for the Lady Falcons and putting them in sole possession of the top spot in the standings.
Adamson showcased its offensive prowess with seven hits, led by Jhaycel Roldan’s standout performance.
The rookie centerfielder delivered a clutch hit to left-center field in the fifth inning, driving in Jeelyn Pajotal and MJ Libaton to extend the lead to 5-0. Roldan later crossed the plate off a hit from Roma Jane Cruz, further cementing Adamson’s control at 6-0.
Meantime, University of the Philippines wrapped up its first round campaign with a 3-0 shutout victory over University of Santo Tomas.
Senior pitcher KC Valino made a strong return to the mound, earning her second win in as many starts this season. She delivered a dominant performance, allowing just three hits while striking out three batters.
The San Miguel, Bulacan native also contributed offensively, recording two of UP’s six total hits.
Team captain Nickole Dela Cruz matched Valino’s effort with two hits in three at-bats, helping the Fighting Maroons (3-1) claim solo second place after the opening round.
The difference came in the second inning, when Dela Cruz led off with a sharp grounder down the third-base foul line. First baseman Martine Francisco and Generose Torremocha followed with hits of their own. Francisco’s connection sent Dela Cruz home for the go-ahead run, while a Reuel Caoagdan sacrifice fly to right field extended the lead to 2-0.
UP tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning, with Valino and Dela Cruz working together to extend the lead to 3-0. The Fighting Maroons then held strong defensively to seal the victory.
The second round of the tournament begins on Saturday, though match schedules have yet to be announced.
