PLAYING THE field against the school that ousted them from the baseball throne in the previous year, the Ateneo Blue Eagles concluded the first round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 79 Baseball tournament in vengeful fashion, pummeling rivals De La Salle University (DLSU) at 13-6 on Sunday, February 19 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium. A replay of the league’s finals match-ups for the past three championship series, the season’s first clash of green and blue emerged as a battle for the top spot on the tables, with Ateneo emerging victorious to take prime position in the race for the crown.
The Blue Eagles drew first blood in the match, unleashing an offensive onslaught to punish the Taft-based side with hit after hit from start to finish. Coming back from a disappointing performance in their last game against Adamson University (AdU), Ateneo looked like a completely different side against the Green Archers, snagging a ten-point lead in two blowout innings with a reordered batting lineup. In place of usual cleanup hitter Gino Tantuico, Ryan Hilario batted fourth and made an immediate impact despite his earlier appearance at the plate. With Marco Mallari and Javi Macasaet on base, Hilario slammed his second homerun of the season, knocking th ball out of the park to put Ateneo ahead at (3-0) and send the audience erupting in cheers.
Changes in the Blue Eagles’ batting order would continue to bear fruit, as eighth batter Tantuico further fueled the team’s rally against DLSU starting pitcher Boo Barandiaran. The first baseman pumped even more life into the Ateneo dugout, notching a shot into right field to send home two runners and bring the scoreline to (5-0). A powerful hit by Marquis Alindogan at the bottom of the batting order then escaped the infield to grant Tantuico safety at home, giving the Blue Eagles a decisive lead at (6-0).
The defending champions attempted to shorten the gap throughout the next two innings, but failed to make the most out of the rare scoring opportunities they were able to send in. Veteran pitcher Paulo Macasaet took the mound for the Blue Eagles and managed to hold the opposition scoreless, with the Ateneo infield and outfield holding steady to protect the lead against outfield scares from DLSU’s Stewart Park and Les Cabiling.
An uneventful second inning paved the way for yet another blowout at the top of the third, as Ateneo took advantage of a struggling infield to build on a six-run lead. Rookie Dan Laurel fired the first shots of the inning with a double to right field that put two runners in scoring position, which forced the first pitcher switch of the game on the DLSU side as Arvin Herrera took over for Barandiaran on the mound. Herrera immediately walked Tantuico, and hit the next two batters with pitches, giving a free ticket home to two Ateneo runners to bring the score to (8-0). Macasaet and Mallari then took full advantage of the loaded bases to combine for two RBIs, upping the Blue Eagles’ lead to (10-0).
Down by double-digits, DLSU managed to finally get on the board and cut the deficit at the bottom of the third. Despite designated hitter Ignacio Escaño being forced out of the rotation due to a substitution violation, the Green Archers showed their first signs of life with a three-run rally ignited by a double from Diego Lozano. Cabiling then knocked a drive past third, which allowed Salud to score DLSU’s point of the match but ended with Lozano being tagged out on base. Barandiaran and Francis Gesmundo then loaded the bases to bless DLSU with a much needed opportunity for runs, setting the stage for Stewart Park to convert. Park then sent a single flying past the reaches of the Ateneo outfielder, giving two runners safe passage home to make it a (10-3) game.
The Green Archers would slowly inch their way to catch up to the Blue Eagles over the next few innings. Park maintained a solid record at the plate, exploiting the space at left field for another double that sent Gesmundo home to shorten the deficit at (10-4). The hits continued to fall for DLSU at the bottom of the sixth, with Salud tallying a double to left-center that sent Franco Hashimoto home to bring the score to (10-6). Coach Randy Dizer then made his first change on the mound and subbed in usual closing pitcher Miggy Angeles for Macasaet, who collected three strikeouts in five innings pitched. The Ateneo infield then put on a defensive show by executing a nifty double play to throw out DLSU’s Lozano and Cabiling, while Angeles completed the third out to put away Barandiaran and end the inning.
Ateneo would eventually resume their offensive rhythm at the top of the eighth to gain seven-runs of separation from a resilient DLSU. Mallari displayed consistency at the plate, letting loose a grounder past second to send home Alindogan and extend the lead to (11-5). Another rocket into left-field from Hilario was caught by the outfielder, but gave Mallari enough time to make it home and bring the score to (12-5).
Despite falling behind by seven-runs late in the game, the Green Archers didn’t lose hope, with substitute Geof Magsadia breathing life back into his team at the bottom of the eighth. Leading off against Angeles, Magsadia connected at the plate, knocking a double into right-center that caught the Ateneo outfield napping. A timely single from Hashimoto would then find it’s way to left-field, sending Magsadia home to bring the score to (12-6).
As the defending champions looked to start a dangerous rally and take the game from behind, the eighth-inning heroics fell on the shoulders of rookie Enrico Untalan, who subbed in at right field for captain Renzo Ramos. With Hashimoto and Salud on second and first, Cabiling launched a hard shot towards Untalan, setting DLSU in position to chip away at the deficit. The outfielder, however, caught the flyout to put the batter away, and then connected a throw from right field to third base, where Macasaet tagged out the runner and push the game into the ninth inning.
Untalan would continue with consistency in his debut at the plate at the top of the ninth, reaching second base after an overthrow at first. A walk from Tantuico put runners on first and second, prompting another pitcher change as Diego Lozano replaced Herrera on the mound. Facing rookie Kiko Andaya at bat for Ateneo, Lozano managed to trap Tantuico in a rundown, but a wild throw granted both runners on base with an easy steal, sending Untalan home for the Blue Eagles’ final run to end the game at (13-6).
The victory puts Ateneo at the top spot on the tables, with the Blue Eagles recording a (4-1) win-loss record ahead of DLSU and AdU, who take second place at (3-2).
The Blue Eagles triumph over rivals DLSU 13-6 to conclude the first round of UAAP Season 79.
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