Adamson forces softball decider

c/o UAAP

Games Sunday at the UP Baseball Field (Baseball Final Four)

3 p.m. - DLSU vs UST

6 p.m. - NU vs Ateneo

ADAMSON University kept its '11-peat' hopes alive in style, routing the University of the Philippines, 15-2, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 86 Softball Finals on Saturday at the latter's home field in Diliman, Quezon City.

The Lady Falcons, who suffered their first defeat of the season in Game 1 in a 3-2, eighth-inning heartbreaker, stormed right out of the gates to force a rubber match on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Jeelyn Pajotal, designated player for reigning MVP Glory Alonzo, started the very first offensive inning for the holders with a hit to the left side.

Three more hits against UP's ace KC Valino, matching Game 1's total for AdU, eventually led to four runs that set the tone for the subsequent result.

"Lumabas 'yung palo nila kasi nung Game 1, sobrang off kami eh," said Lady Falcons' long-time head coach Ana Santiago.

"Napag-usapan rin namin kung ano 'yung mga mali namin at sinabi ko rin sa kanila, 'If you want, you have to get this another chance'," the concurrent RP Blu Girls head coach continued.

The Fighting Maroons averted a shutout with two runs manufactured in the fifth and sixth innings, capitalizing on a few miscues by Alonzo.

A double from Danica Aquino, accompanied by a passed ball, saw Generose Torremocha stop a potential regulation game after five frames, before two hits allowed Kate Nueva, who pinch ran for a hit-by-pitched Nickole Dela Cruz, to double UP's output.

It was just a case of delaying the inevitable as the Lady Falcons soared in the final inning against the Fighting Maroons.

Mary Jane Libaton shook off substitute shortstop Jamm'n Joyce Rasco with a hit before Khrisha Cantor forced the senior UP fielder to commit an error.

Aliza Talisik then loaded the bases on four balls from Dianne Pasco, eventually leading to the final seven runs of the game as Libaton got two of her three hits in the said frame.

Adding to the Adamson onslaught were three more hits from MJ Maguad, but it was the insertion of Pajotal, who had two hits, which proved to be the difference in the squad's huge 20-hit outing.

"Tabla uli 'yan, so everybody's ball game uli 'yan. So, we'll have to prepare lang," Santiago shared on the squad's outlook for that do-or-die Game 3.

The Lines:

TEAM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

ADU   4 0 2 1 0 1 7 15 20 1

UP       0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 4 4