UAAP softball: UP, Adamson share early lead

MANILA, Philippines – Defending champion University of the Philippines (UP) and Adamson shared the early lead in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 71 softball tournament at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) field. UP coasted to a 10-0 blanking of La Salle while Adamson defeated UST, 4-1, as the Lady Maroons and the Lady Falcons notched win No.2 to take the lead early in the season. Joyce Ann Payongayong and Caroline Ongpin were almost untouchable on the mound combining for one-hit work in five innings. La Salle’s Andrea Aurelio frustrated UP’s hitless bid on a third inning single. Angel Jadloc’s second-inning grandslam set the tone for the one-sided match as the bases-loaded round-tripper gave State U an insurmountable 8-0 lead. The match ended in the fifth due to the mercy In the Adamson-UST match, Lady Falcons’ pitcher Cloiene Muyco blasted a bases- loaded RBI (runs batted in) single to score Marissa Mahilum. Then Muyco, together with Harlyn Tubongbanua and Anavic Jugos, touched home plate on UST’s back-to-back errors. Muyco pitched a complete game two-hitter with eight strikeouts. Aiza Dela Torre allowed five hits in six innings on the mound for UST but her teammates’ errors in the third spoiled what could have been a respectable performance. In the other game, Ateneo pulled off a 6-2 upset win over University of the East to improve to an even 1-1 card. The Lady Eagles failed to win a single game last season. Action resumes on Saturday with State U and Adamson hoping to notch their third straight wins when they face separate foes. UP takes on winless UE at 11:00 a.m. while Adamson battles Ateneo at 1:00 p.m. UST will open up the day’s contest when it clashes with La Salle at 9:00 a.m. at the UST field. Standings: UP 2-0, Adamson 2-0, Ateneo 1-1, UST 1-1, DLSU 0-2, UE 0-2. – GMANews.TV