THE ATENEO Blue Eagles defeated the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers, 19-16 on Sunday, March 6 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Malate.
The final game of the elimination round of Season 78 featured the championship contenders of the past three seasons while simultaneously previewing the upcoming finals matchup between the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers. The second-round showdown saw the two sides battle through errors and fatigue in a high-scoring clash that ultimately ended in extra innings.
DLSU took the lead early in the game, pulling back three runs through hits off usual centerfielder Marco Mallari, who started the game on the mound. An early rally by Archers left the Ateneo trailing by two at the top of the second inning.
The defending champions would break away at the top of the third, with Ramos nailing a three-RBI double to supply a four-run onslaught. However, the Taft-based squad would then answer back by scoring four runs at the bottom of the fifth, with a similar three-RBI double by DLSU shortstop Franco Hashimoto clearing the bases to change the tide.
The rest of the game was characterized by infield errors and a deadlock, with both teams scoring four runs across the six and seventh innings. Kai Furusawa eventually tied the game with another three-RBI double late in the seventh. However, substitute pitcher Kouichi Igarashi would squander the lead, with most of his pitches flying past the reach of catcher Dino Altomonte, forcing him to leave the plate unprotected. The Blue Eagles–who had, by then, exhausted four pitchers–were obliged to sub in usual starter Paolo Macasaet to hold the opposition at bay.
It was DLSU’s weak defense, however, that gave the Blue Eagles new life, with multiple infield errors from shortstop Joshua Salinas opening the floodgates and allowing the Blue and White to bat in four runs to take a one-run lead at the top of the eighth. But Vicente Barandiaran would then restore the stalemate with a steal at home mere moments later, bringing the game to a tie at 13-13.
Salinas was then presented with a golden opportunity to make up for his earlier defensive lapses and put the Archers ahead, but Macasaet saved the inning for the Ateneo with a calm and collected strikeout of the rookie infielder to prevent the opposition from pulling away any further.
It was do or die in the ninth, but the Katipunan-based squad made the most out of their last at-bats, with Javi Macasaet, Johnny Altomonte, and Marquis Alindogan crossing home plate to give the Ateneo a precious three-run leverage at the bottom of the ninth.
Their Taft-based counterparts responded calmly to the Ateneo pressure, with Stewart Park clearing the bases with a three-RBI double to tie the game at 16-runs apiece. Determined to secure the win however, the Blue and White fought back, as substitute left fielder Jomo Filart caught the final out with a spectacular leap at left field, pushing the game into extra innings.
Finally, at the top of the tenth, an abundance of errors spelled DLSU’s downfall, and there was little that relief pitcher Carlos Muñoz could do to stop a resilient Ateneo side.
An overthrow from right field to third base gave Furusawa the opening at home, with the Altomonte brothers completing the three-run rally off a hit from first baseman Ryan Hilario. DLSU was then unable to answer back in the dying moments of the game, with a fly-out to centerfield from Andre Palacios proving to be the final nail on the coffin.
This win puts the Blue Eagles at 9-1 to finish the elimination round standings of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 78 Baseball tournament.
The first game of the finals will be against DLSU, 12PM, Friday, March 11 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Malate.
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