AS THE first round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 80 Baseball tournament comes to a close, two things are apparent in the Blue Eagles’ latest campaign. First, the defending champions seem to be in undeniably impeccable form, sitting comfortably atop the collegiate tables with a 4-1 win-loss record to enjoy prime position in the footrace for the finals.
Second, and on a more somber note, the collegiate baseball food chain has finally returned to the usual state of seasons past, as the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers make their triumphant return to the number one seed with the same record as the Blue Eagles, sharing the top spot with their perennial rivals heading into the second round.
With the vantage point occupied by the UAAP’s most frequent competitors in the last few finals series, the most pressing question is how Ateneo can assure its finals berth this year, necessitating a retrospective glance at the ups and downs of the first half of the season that could be crucial factors to make or break the team.
On the fence: New starters
While two of Randy Dizer’s regular starters on the diamond from last year’s championship squad are absent in this season’s campaign, several new faces have stepped up and stepped into the shoes left behind by the Blue Eagles who departed. Moreover, Ateneo’s first five games of the season have gifted quality minutes to the team’s newest talents, displaying the true versatility and depth that the Blue Eagles have at their disposal.
Junior Gio Salvatierra has emerged as Season 80’s new starting first baseman, covering the territory previously owned by Gino Tantuico, while Enzo Orbeta has sealed his spot at right-field, gloriously announcing his return to the league with a thunderous homerun against the University of the Philippines (UP) in his first game. Efficiency on both the defensive and offensive fronts, however, remains to be the most accurate indicator of effectiveness, echoing early concerns at the start of the season regarding whether the new starters could replicate the magic of their predecessors.
Looking first at the Blue Eagles’ newest starting infielder, Salvatierra has definitely held down the fort with grit and class, covering the bag as a reliable roadblock on the bag. The statistics, however, show that he has been largely quiet at the plate, knocking in his only two hits and one RBI of the season so far in a clean performance versus DLSU.
Orbeta, in comparison, has similarly radiated confidence and finesse on the outfield, earning the distinction as the team’s regular starting right-fielder and has been fairly consistent on defense, save for a few minor errors. But despite heralding his return with a booming homer in their opening joust with UP, Orbeta has yet to bolster his offensive rhythm, registering his only other hit all season against National University (NU).
Strength: Depth of the bench
Dizer has fielded practically the same starting nine over five games, occasionally mixing up the sequence within the individual thirds of the batting order and switching up the basemen on the infield, as evidenced by their second match against the NU Bulldogs. Another key factor in the Blue Eagles success so far has been the depth of talent on their bench, which houses a handful of young-blooded substitutes who have enjoyed their quality minutes by performing their roles as more-than-capable backups.
Sophomore Kiko Andaya has seen a greater deal of action this season, taking up the mantle of second-string to starting shortstop Dan Laurel. Proving to be a highly underrated and cool-headed defensive presence on the diamond, the infielder has started in one of five games played and racked up two hits so far, contributing significantly on both sides of the ball game in his second year of playing.
Heavy-hitter Fausto Eizmendi, outfielder Rodrigo Bitong, and first baseman Tres Sarmiento have also made their first appearances, given the green light to strut their wares in their rookie year. Enrico Untalan has featured several times as well as a substitute outfielder, flashing glimpses of a powerful throwing arm and skill beyond his years in the few games he has played.
Strength: Pitching power
Much credit is also due to the Blue Eagles prowess from the mound, which has cemented their stature as the big-swinging giants of the collegiate league. Dizer has wreaked havoc with his most destructive weapon by dispatching prized pitcher Paulo Macasaet as his starter in four of five games. The ace has been nothing short of sensational and has worked twice as hard to outdo himself where the statistics are concerned, scoring nearly the same feats he did last year in nearly half the amount of time.
Having taken down 27 batters in 29 innings in Season 79, Macasaet has so far tallied 25 kills at the plate in four games played and 28 innings pitched, which means that he is well on his way to shattering his personal records from last year at twice the normal rate.
Furthermore, looking past the blunder that tripped up the Blue Eagles in their duel with Adamson University (AdU), Macasaet’s supporting cast has been equally resilient, meshing well with a star-studded defense to dictate the pace of the game. Lefty Miggy Angeles has retained last year’s brilliance, nabbing six strikeouts in three games, half of which were thrown in an eight-inning performance against the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
Another essential cog in a five-man pitching rotation, Nacho Lozano has made huge strides in his game and made the most out of his time on the mound, knocking down five strikeouts of his own in three games at the end of the first round. Rookies Nico Lozano and Luis Estacio have also made one appearance each, showing much promise as the youngest members of the Ateneo bullpen.
Weakness: The cost of unforced errors
Contrary to what the numbers speak about Ateneo’s prospects so far with half the season finished, there is no ruling out the probability of dreaded slumps, evidenced by a game-long dry-spell at the plate against the AdU Soaring Falcons, which cost them their only loss so far. Breezing through two first-class mercy rule victories to commence the season, the Blue Eagles were given golden opportunities to end the first round with two more blowouts versus perennial powerhouses DLSU and UST.
But taking their foot off the gas has caused crucial fumbles, nearly allowing the victories escape Ateneo’s grasp on two occasions. Dissecting these two final games, the bouts can be scripted in virtually identical fashion—a commanding early lead for Ateneo was countered by gut-wrenching rallies from their opponents, compelling the Blue Eagles to orchestrate some pivotal plays down the stretch to ultimately pull off the win.
After a masterful display of hitting and defense through the first four and a half innings against rivals La Salle, the Blue Eagles were at the helm with a sizeable 8-1 lead. The Green Archers retaliated with timely hits, and a passed ball at home followed by spells of infield errors got things rolling for DLSU, who then swiftly closed the gap to four runs while loading the bases in the fifth inning.
A messianic strikeout by Paulo Macasaet would momentarily silence the Green Archers side, but another error at the plate, along with big-time plays in the following inning narrowed the scoreline to 8-6. Facing a scare so late into the game, Ateneo properly responded by putting the clamps on the Green Batters to hold onto the win (but not without definitive risk).
Through another first half of dominance, the Blue Eagles placed the Growling Tigers on a leash, dominating the diamond with a 5-0 advantage. However, four costly blunders—a passed ball, two fielding errors, and a deflection at home—granted UST three straight unmatched runs that changed the tone of the ball game by bringing the deficit to 5-3. Nonetheless, Ateneo regained focus and took care of business in the dying innings to scrape a 9-6 triumph and escape another near scare with their record intact.
Round Two
Loaded with crafty and proven fielders, the key to a perfect second round is a matter of locking into a lapse-free game for a complete nine innings. Considering that Ateneo has never given up the lead in every match it has won this season, carelessness and complacency remain the Achilles’ heel that could cause the Blue Eagles to stumble tragically, as they have in seasons past.
Power from the pitcher’s mound has been a tried and tested formula for victory, but any effort from Macasaet and Angeles need to be backed up by clean defense by the rest of the eight on the diamond, emphasizing the need for cohesion among pitcher, infield, and outfield to take full control of the game.
Furthermore, the lack of offensive consistency among all players in the batting order has been a thorn in the Blue Eagles’ side, despite the team scoring at least nine runs in four of its last five games. Connections at the plate from Marquis Alindogan, Javi Macasaet, and Radito Banzon were the fuel to Ateneo’s fire for most of the first round, but inconsistencies at bat will be the holes that the opposition will be looking to exploit.
Therefore, a game plan of practicality entering the second round could be to minimize the mishaps that concede runs and maximize the opportunities to haul runs in, requiring discipline on defense and ambition on attack. Despite leading the pack at the moment, the team is a mere loss away from being booted out of the top spot, and an unfortunate combination of hitting droughts or more ill-advised errors could spell disaster approaching their last five games of the season.
Second Round Schedule
Wednesday, February 21: Ateneo vs. UP
Sunday, February 25: Ateneo vs. NU
Wednesday, February 28: Ateneo vs. AdU
Sunday, March 4: Ateneo vs. DLSU
Wednesday, March 7: Ateneo vs. UST
