NATIONAL University and University of the Philippines hacked out a pair of thrilling victories to keep their 1-2 posts in the Cebuana Lhuillier-ASAPHIL National Softball Intercollegiate Championships at the Sto. Niño Ballpark in Marikina yesterday.
The Lady Bulldogs battled back from a pair of one-run deficits in the second and fourth innings then leaned on Ethel Cuyo’s crucial hit in the fifth and their defense in the sixth to pound out a 4-3 decision over the Polytechnic University of the Philippines side.
NU later kept its win run going, holding off guest team Manila Youth, 7-4, to notch its fourth straight victory in the annual event which drew five of the top softball teams in Metro Manila.
UP Diliman also turned back Rizal Technological University, 3-2, in the other game to pick up its second win in three games. The Lady Maroons were playing with the defending UAAP champion Adamson Lady Falcons at presstime.
Adamson totes a 1-1 card while PUP dropped to 1-3 and RTU took its third straight defeat.
“I’d like to commend all the participants and players for this year’s Intercollegiate Softball tournament for showing us great games and sportsmanship,” said ASAPHIL and Cebuana Lhuillier president, Jean Henri Lhuillier. “This year, the teams have been surpassing their own records which only proves how bright and promising the future of Philippine softball really is.”
After a scoreless start, PUP took charge off Angeline Madrona’s RBI, scoring Nazarel Alipio, who earlier hit a triple. But the Lady Bulldogs cashed in on PUP’s catching error, enabling Chad Tulalian to hit base and Elsie dela Torre to score an RBI.
Alipio then batted-in another long ball on top of the fourth, sending Jacqueline Mallari home but NU’s Nicole Ordoyo countered with her own hit, pushing Tulalian and Kristine Paclar for two more RBI’s as the Lady Bulldogs grabbed 3-2 lead.
But PUP equalized in the fifth as Pamela Cindy Banculo scored a run from a base-on-ball RBI although Cuyo came through with a big hit for another RBI before the Lady Bulldogs toughened up on defense in the sixth to frustrate their rivals.