Load the Bases: The Lady Batters are running for a podium finish this S86
After a rather forgettable outing in the return of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Softball, the new-look DLSU Lady Batters are ready to bounce back and climb the ranks this upcoming Season 86. Their quest for victory is fueled by a fresh batch of hard-hitting rookies led by newly appointed team captains Cassandra Inot and April Gonzales.
Strikeout Season
After a three-year hiatus, the UAAP Softball Championship saw its return last Season 85. The said drought brought about multiple challenges and hurdles for the Lady Batters as most of the players were caught off-guard by the intensity of play in their first time setting foot on the collegiate field.
After weeks of hard-fought battles, the girls in Green and White finally managed to find their footing, snatching a W against arch-rivals Ateneo towards the latter half of the season and ultimately finishing in 5th place. In what can be summed up as a learning experience, co-captain April Gonzales spoke about the previous season: “Hindi namin naipakita yung best namin… Kinulang talaga kami sa training last season.”
Enter Season 86 — with chips on their shoulders, April and the rest of the crew are more determined than ever to prove themselves on the field and show the UAAP scene that they can keep up with the rest of the elites.
Batters Up!
The offseason welcomed six star-studded rookies who are eager to make a name for themselves on the field, each of them bringing new life and a much-needed spark for the team’s morale. “Mabait sila, madaling turuan, [and] madaling makasabay.” — words by team captain Cassandra Inot that don’t even begin to describe how trustworthy and reliable the new blood is to the squad.
Inot also mentioned how being part of a group coming into the team would favor the rookies in the foreseeable future, as the bonds they create and the experiences they share will only strengthen over time, even as the senior members graduate. The amount of trust that the coaches, captains, and older members place on the recruits is a testament to how bright the future is for these young stars.
“Yung makikita mo palang sila, yung fighting spirit na meron sila, na pinapakita nila sa team, alam ko talaga na kakayanin nila.”
Speaking of older members, the returning cast is fueled by redemption, looking to put the shortcomings of S85 behind them and prove to everyone that their team is a force to be reckoned with.
As for the newly assigned team leaders, both Inot and Gonzales are shouldered with the task of leading the 13-woman roster for the first time in their college careers. This, along with all the other responsibilities the captains have as student-athletes has proven to be a humbling experience as they try to find the perfect balance of work and play. Despite hiccups in juggling all tasks, the captains have proven they have what it takes by showing resilience in front of their peers and being role models that the entire team looks up to.
Loading the Bases
With the lack of training being the main issue in Season 85, the coaching staff made sure that wasn’t the case this time around, as they more than doubled the months of preparation for the Lady Battlers, ensuring that the team is well-prepared for the upcoming tournament. “
There’s no reason para masabi namin na kulang pa kami [sa training] this year.” — Captain Inot described their training sessions as “very satisfying” as it helped tremendously with the overall skills and physical attributes of the team as everyone was able to show signs of improvement with each day of training.
All their hard work bore fruit when the team took part in the National Open preseason tournament in November of last year and bagged third place — the first time La Salle had placed third in said tournament. “Big achievement sa amin ‘yun kasi ang ganda ng performance naming lahat,” said Cassandra. More importantly, the preseason tournament helped the team prepare against their collegiate opponents in the UAAP, some of which they faced in the off-season competition.
Looking forward to the upcoming season, the captains have a clear goal for the team: a podium finish. This feat is much harder than it sounds as the league is filled with tough opponents from other universities and the pressure that comes with playing on the big stage. Despite this, Captain Cassandra believes that by taking it one game at a time, the team will be able to display all their skills and talents and overcome any adversity that comes their way.
“Ine-expect ko na mahahandle namin yung pressure, mailabas namin yung skills namin, kung sino talaga kami, kung ano talaga linalaro namin.”
The goal may be a podium finish, but the sky is the limit for the DLSU Lady Batters as their untapped potential will soon be realized this Season 86.
Both captains Cassandra and April express their utmost gratitude towards the Lasallian community, OSD, coaches, and fans who provide their all-out support through both the highs and the lows of their journey.
Catch them as they look to begin their campaign on a high note this February 24, 3 PM at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Softball Field against the UP Fighting Maroons along with the rest of their Round 1 matchups in the following weeks:
February 28 — vs. ADMU
March 2 — vs. AdU
March 9 — vs. UST
