Reigning 11-time champion Adamson warmed up for its title rematch with University of the Philippines with a 9-0 drubbing of La Salle in a game halted after five innings in the UAAP Season 87 Softball Tournament Saturday, March 29, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila.
The Lady Falcons will carry their perfect 8-0 record into Game 1 of the best-of-three title series against the UP Fighting Maroons set Tuesday.
Like the Lady Falcons, the Fighting Maroons also closed out their elimination campaign on a high note by clobbering University of Santo Tomas, 6-1, Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.
The Fighting Maroons finished with a 6-2 record heading into the Finals, while the Tiger Softbelles dropped to 3-5.
Meanwhile, the Lady Batters will battle the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Softbelles on the same day in a one-game playoff for the bronze medal.
“At least ngayon, mas maganda ‘yung hitting namin against La Salle compared sa previous game. So, I think, ‘yun nga, nire-ready na rin nila ‘yung sarili nila (for the Finals) kasi sila mismo sinasabi nila hindi madali ang championship ngayong taon,” said head coach Ana Santiago.
Offense, an area Santiago and her coaching staff had been focusing on in recent game, was not a problem with Neomay Mahinay and Mae Langga setting the tone as the team’s lead-off batters.
Mahinay delivered a flawless performance at the plate, going two-for-two, while Langga, who replaced Chastene Jover, smashed a double in the fifth inning.
Senior Alaiza Talisik played a crucial role in the Lady Falcons’ fourth-inning surge, recording a double that drove in two runs. Jeelyn Pajotal and Roma Jane Cruz extended the lead to 7-0, and Talisik later scored on a hit by Madaelene Domaug, pushing the margin to 8-0.
