Reigning MVP Jeanette Rusia shone as defending champion Adamson University scored an abbreviated 14-1 win over University of the East in the UAAP Season 81 softball tournament Monday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Rusia had a third inning homerun to go with two RBIs and three hits, as the Lady Falcons’ bid for an eighth straight crown jumpstarted on a smashing note.
In baseball Sunday, Gerald Riparip scored a game-tying hit and a go-ahead run in the second inning as Adamson University opened its title-retention bid with a narrow 2-1 run over National University.
Krisha Cantor also homered right from the opening pitch as the Lady Falcons needed only four innings to emerge victorious in their season opener.
Cantor and Arianne Vallestero had one RBI apiece for Adamson University.
The Lady Warriors succumbed to the ferocious Lady Falcons’ hitting in the third, giving up 11 runs that put the game beyond recall.
Earlier, De La Salle snatched the early softball lead with a 4-3 win over University of the Philippines.
Adamson tied idle University of Santo Tomas in second place.
Jam Arribas nailed the game-winning hit that sent Nica Velasco home in the bottom seventh to power the Lady Batters to their second straight win.
The Lady Maroons, who squandered an early 2-0 lead, tied the game at 3-3 courtesy of Maryric Bernabe run.
UP fell to 1-1 alongside National University, a 9-2 winner over Ateneo in the last game that lasted for six innings.
In other baseball results, Gino Tantuico and Javi Macasaet homered, while Paulo Macasaet struck out 11 batters and gave up only six hits as Ateneo blasted UST in just seven innings, 13-3.
De La Salle also needed seven innings to pick up a 12-2 opening-day victory over UP, behind a solid outing by birthday boy Iggy Escaño.