MANILA, Philippines – Unheralded Ateneo rocked the order in the UAAP season 76 softball competitions, stunning second-running University of Santo Tomas, 5-3, Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The Lady Eagles stormed to an early 4-0 lead and fended off the Tigresses’ late charges to secure only their second win against seven losses while handing their prey their second setback in eight outings.
Last year’s runner-up National U escaped the upset axe as the Lady Bulldogs defeated the La Salle Lady Archers, 7-6. NU improved to 5-3 for solo third while the Archers slipped to a tie for sixth and seventh with Ateneo.
Adrienne Mei Limpe-Uy touched off scoring for the Lady Eagles with a two-run RBI. Medeleine Lhuillier doubled the lead as she drove home Uy with an extra-base hit and later reached the plate off Angela Natividad’s RBI.
The Tigresses got on the scoreboard with an error-aided run in the third, which was negated by Lhuiller’s RBI on their turn at bat. Kristine Joy Lacupa put UST closer when she slammed a two-run homerun in the fifth but AdMU hurler Baba La’O managed to shut the Tigresses out the rest of the way to seal the upset win.
NU yielded five runs in the first inning but responded back with a two-run and a five-run spree of their own in their first two turns at bat to wrest control.