UP nails No. 2 seed in UAAP softball

MANILA, Philippines—University of the Philippines pounced on University of Santo Tomas’ errors to hack out a 7-4 win and clinch the twice-to-beat semifinals bonus in the UAAP Season 77 softball tournament Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

With the game hanging in the balance at 3-3, Chanty Bongat’s RBI sent Sella Mendoza and Gelai Penales home to give the Lady Maroons a two-run advantage and never looked back to clinch the No. 2 seed in the step-ladder phase.

It was a sorry loss for the Tigresses, who built a 3-0 lead, but errors in the fifth inning paved the way to surrender five runs. UP, which last won the championship in 2008, will face the winner of the first step-ladder duel between UST and National University, who thumped La Salle, 11-0, in their do-or-die playoff for the last semifinals berth.

Five-peat seeking Adamson University is in the Finals after sweeping the 12-game elimination round in the final event of Season 77. The Lady Falcons are actually 60-0 in the last five years.

The Lady Bulldogs needed only five innings to eliminate the Lady Batters, who tumbled late in the eliminations after placing second in the first round.

UST and NU face off on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the same venue to start the step-ladder semifinals.