THE CLIMB back up after a stumble is no easy challenge to surmount on the road to redemption, but the prospect of victory that awaits the traveller at the end of the path makes the journey worth the while. With the Ateneo Men’s Baseball Team staging a much awaited comeback for a glorious return to the top of the competition in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the thematic elements of time, trial, and triumph characterize the story of the season, narrating a far deeper process that transcends innings, games, and the call of the umpire.

Upending the Golden Sox of host school University of Sto. Tomas (UST) in the final hurdle of Season 79’s championship clash, the newly crowned Blue Eagles continue to lay down the stones for a growing dynasty in the country’s top collegiate league, rising from the ashes of the previous year’s defeat to snag their fourth title in five years. Although a retrospective glimpse into the groundwork of the season’s success recounts a trek back to square one, a prospective look forward foretells the signs of a much more promising future.

Foundations of stone

Despite a dramatic extra-inning finale culminating in what might have been the season’s most defining moment, the Blue Eagles’ claim of the gold that eluded them a year ago represents a work in progress that has thrived on the cornerstones established by past generations of Blue and White batters. Reflecting the fighting spirit that first propelled Ateneo into baseball prominence five seasons ago, the members of the first championship team in Season 75 will be hanging up their cleats and retiring their wings, concluding their final flight in service to the school.

The first major change to rock the team, as it heads into a reaffirmed age of dominance on the diamond is the departure of some key figures whose sweat and sacrifice in the Ateneo jersey have served as the lifeblood to victory and fueled the squad’s return to thrones of the competition. Beginning and ending their careers in the glory of a golden finish, veteran right-fielder Renzo Ramos, second baseman Rapho Balagtas, and seasoned pitcher Miguel Dumlao exit the playing field with their hearts full and their heads held high, signifying the retirement of the last remaining members of the batch of Blue Eagles that kickstarted the three-peat championship back in 2013.

“In my freshman year, Coach Randy told me he expected an eight-peat from us,” admits Team Captain Ramos. “After we got that title, I’m just so happy because we were ninety feet away from losing, so just to come out on top and finally end it was overwhelming.”

But where one line of history ends, another circle begins. The swan song hummed by the graduating players hardly laments the end of a bygone era, but echoes the durability of the squad they leave behind. The next volume of this enthralling tale starts with a prelude of a largely intact and equally capable core of Blue Eagles, who will carry the flag on the diamond in the next few seasons.

With just three seniors thinning the ranks of the batters on a twenty-man roster, the weight of the team’s winning calibre falls onto the shoulders of a relatively young but greatly unaltered selection of athletes, who have shared the same playing field for the last three seasons. Lacking the defensive presence of Ramos on the outfield and his offensive threat at the heart of the batting order, the Blue Eagles will be missing only one ingredient in their usual starting lineup. However, as testified by a victorious run in their last campaign, a deep bench proves to be the solution to filling gaps on the field, highlighting the deadly arsenal of talent available at Ateneo’s disposal.

Bannered by a recruitment system that scouts potential from the local and international baseball scenes, the competitive edge between teammates that keeps individual Blue Eagles at their peak form is significant to the success of the Baseball program. The battle for slots on the final roster narrows down an initial training pool to the twenty most skillful players, followed by an internal race for the nine starting positions that pushes each individual athlete to prove his worth.

“Despite being teammates there’s still a competition for every position,” shares Ramos. “Having that mentality within your own team really helps each of the players strive to be better, so if you want the starting position you have to beat out these other great players to do it.”

Leading the charge

Building upon the foundations mounted by their forerunners on the college diamond, Ateneo’s current crop of ballplayers is a testament to a lasting legacy that has converted the victories and defeats of the past into stepping stones for the success of the present. Tasked with keeping the crown on their heads next year without the voice of familiarity and command navigating the conquest on the baseball field, the Blue Eagles compose the prologue to a new campaign of heritage, taking their first few steps forward as a new generation of Blue and White batters.

Despite youth being an essential feature in the squad of the coming seasons, the team’s age is not an indicator of experience, with a bulk of the remaining senior players having reached the UAAP finals of the past three seasons. Supported by an ensemble cast that features the league’s brightest stars and by several up-and-coming talents, reputation and promise herald the dawn of a new day for Ateneo’s baseball program.

With the fate of the Blue Eagles resting in the ability of its seasoned veterans to hold down the fort and keep the flame, a more vital and internal feature that could prove to be the fine line between success and failure is the squad’s mentality in entering this new frontier.

“They must remember that it’s always harder to defend a championship than to win one,” says Ramos. “They have to keep the same mindset that they are underdogs despite being champions again and make sure to keep the team intact because that’s an important part of winning.”