Adamson softball champ anew; Ateneo rules baseball

Adamson completed a remarkable softball sweep for the third straight season while Ateneo copped its first baseball championship in two separate UAAP title series yesterday at Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Lady Falcons—impressively unbeaten in 34 straight matches in the last three years—turned back National University, 4-1, to complete a two-game sweep of the title series where Michelle Lentija, Luzviminda Embudo, Angeline Ursarbia and Julie Marie Muyco stood out.

Matt Laurel and Miguel Salud, meanwhile, starred as the Blue Eagles dethroned last year’s champion National University, 4-0, in the do-or-die Game 3 of the baseball finals.

Laurel finished with two runs, two hits and two RBIs and Salud, who made a series-high 144 pitches, struck out six batters as the duo shared the Most Valuable Player plum.

Lentija—who bagged the season MVP, Most Homeruns and Best Slugger awards—had four RBIs and two runs to lead the Lady Falcons.

A squeeze play by Ursarbia allowed Embudo, who also had a two-run double, to slide home for a 4-1 Adamson lead in the eighth inning.

“That (squeeze play) gave us the win because our hitting was off,” said Adamson coach Ana Santiago.

Muyco, who struck out six batters, won the Best Pitcher award while teammates Embudo (Most RBIs) and Queenie Sabobo (Best Hitter) also took home honors.