Defending five-time champion Adamson University and University of Santo Tomas forged a best-of-three titular showdown after posting come-from-behind wins in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 78 softball tournament Monday at Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
The Lady Falcons rallied from a four-run deficit to nip University of the Philippines, 7-6, while the Tigresses overcame an early 0-3 hole to eliminate National University, 8-4.
With ace pitcher Annalie Benjamen struggling since last week’s 2-6 loss to UST that ended Adamson University’s historic 73-game winning streak, Rifayca Basa stepped up and delivered when mattered.
Basas had four strikeouts in 6 and 1/3 innings.
The Lady Falcons and the Tigresses, open their best-of-three series on Friday at 8:30 a.m. at the Malate venue.
With Benjamen still groping in form, Chanty Bongat scored the season’s first grand slam homer in the third inning for a 4-2 Lady Maroons lead.
Basas then replaced Benjamen and turned the game around as Adamson University scored five runs in the bottom sixth, capped by a hit by Delyrose Covarrubias that sent Lorna Adorable at home for a 7-6 advantage.
“Good thing Basas stepped up,” said Lady Falcons mentor Ana Santiago. “I told my players we won’t win because of pitching. We will win with our batting.”
Adorable, Queeny Sabobo and Riezel Calumbres had two hits and one RBI apiece.
In baseball, titleholder Ateneo defeated De La Salle, 19-16, on Sunday in a championship preview that took more than five hours and 19 minutes to finish.
The Blue Eagles, who topped the eliminations with a 9-1 card, and the Green Archers, who settled for a 7-3 slate in second place, open their third consecutive Finals meeting on Friday noon at the Malate venue.
In the other completed match, NU nipped UP, 8-6, while the UST-Adamson was postponed due to the extended Ateneo-La Salle match and will be played on Thursday at 9 a.m.