A NON-BEARING, down to the wire finish at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium concluded a bittersweet season finale for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, as they dispatched the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, 8-7, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 80 Baseball tournament on Wednesday, March 7.
The Blue Eagles’ final game of the season saw the last goodbyes of graduating seniors Dino Altomonte, Enzo Orbeta, and Marquis Alindogan, who donned the Blue and White for the last time on the collegiate diamond. It was a fitting final performance for Alindogan, who led the team with four hits, two runs, and three RBIs.
Three massive hits highlighted a relatively quiet first three innings. Alindogan got things going with a huge hit to left field to earn a free ride to second, with Marco Mallari connecting for a grounder to score the leadoff and draw first blood for Ateneo. UST’s Jefferson Vergara, however, had the perfect response, blasting a homerun over the fence half an inning later to tie the game.
Bannered by starting pitcher Miggy Angeles, the Blue Eagles found their rhythm in the fourth inning and managed to earn the lead yet again with a two-run rally. Rookie Tres Sarmiento continued his hot streak at the plate and crushed a double into deep left-field to send home Kiko Andaya, while Alindogan followed up with another massive double to score Sarmiento and make it a 3-1 game.
Unfazed, the Growling Tigers retaliated half an inning later, sparking a three-run barrage courtesy of heroics from Lesmar Ventura and Marlon Gonzales. Alindogan changed the tide yet again at the top of the sixth and silenced the diamond with another double and his fourth hit of the match, giving Sarmiento and Orbeta the green light for home plate to put Ateneo up 5-4. A groundout from Marco Mallari then sent home pinch runner Rodrigo Bitong, and a sacrifice fly from Javi Macasaet scored Alindogan to punch in another run and give the Blue Eagles a substantial 7-4 lead.
The UST side came alive moments later to knot the game up yet again. Base hits from Gonzales and Calbang placed to runners on base to give the Growling Tigers an invaluable scoring opportunity. Dela Cruz then made the most of the situation, whacking a drive into left field to send home the two runners. With the tying run still waiting on base, a hard bounce from Noriel Valencia sailed high above the infield, giving Dela Cruz an easy path home to lock the game at seven-apiece.
Looking to swing the momentum back in his team’s favor, Sarmiento claimed responsibility for the final run of the game and slammed the game-changer at the bottom of the seventh. The first baseman smashed another big hit into right-center for a double that sent home Altomonte for the go-ahead run, putting Ateneo up 8-7.
Led by a composed performance from relief pitcher Nacho Lozano, the Ateneo defense then held the Growling Tigers at bay for the next two and a half innings. Unable to capitalize on a double by Gonzales at the bottom of the ninth, the UST side ultimately fell via pop-up, with Altomonte making the final catch of the season and his career to seal the bronze finish for the Blue Eagles.
