The Ateneo Men’s Baseball team had a lot to show going head-to-head against the De La Salle (DLSU) Green Archers. Despite standing on top of the rankings at the start of the day, the Blue Eagles were outclassed by their rivals, 5-16, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Baseball tournament, on Sunday, March 17 in Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Issues on the mound heavily influenced Ateneo’s inability to even out the scoreboard. Team Captain Paulo Macasaet started strong but uncharacteristically lost his touch in the second inning, as he gave away four consecutive walks to put DLSU ahead, 0-1. With the bases fully loaded by Green Archers Tuwi Park, Anton Rosas, and Angelo Tantuico, an RBI Double from Boo Barandiaran sent Rosas and Tantuico to the plate to triple the lead, 0-3.

A home run by Ignacio Escaño piled further pressure on the Blue Eagles, with the Green Archer running home after Barandiaran and Paulo Salud to balloon their lead to six, 0-6. Miggy Angeles came on for the struggling P. Macasaet as Ateneo Coach Luke Bernardo looked to stop the bleeding for his side. A flyout on Park ended the inning with Ateneo returning to bat.

Determined to kick-start Ateneo’s comeback, Gino Tantuico answered with a home run of his own to open the scoring for his side at the bottom of the second, 1-6. Despite rookie Blue Eagle Martin Tan getting on base and stealing after a DLSU error, outs on Dino Altomonte and Fausto Eizmendi, as well as a strikeout on Miguel Habana, were enough to retire the side.

A third inning shutout brought the Blue Eagles back at bat with their focus set on evening the scoreboard. After a Kiko Andaya strikeout, walks on Marco Mallari and Radito Banzon and a succeeding RBI from Co-captain Javi Macasaet cut the deficit to four, 2-6. A subsequent catch on J. Macasaet ended the action-filled third inning with DLSU’s lead intact.

After a defensive masterclass from the Blue Eagles to keep DLSU scoreless at the top of the fourth, a single from Tan and Altomonte’s RBI Triple added another run for the Blue and White, 3-6, before being closed down.

DLSU came alive at the top of fifth as they looked to secure the match once and for all. Salud sent Park home with an RBI double before Diego Lozano’s line drive allowed an idle Anton Rosas on third to make it home. Barandiaran batted in two more runs to bring the lead to 3-10. Escaño added another by sending Barandiaran home before Ateneo closed out the inning, 3-11.

Despite a determined offensive showing from Mallari and J. Macasaet to bring the score to 5-11, another poor defensive display from the Blue Eagles at the top of the seventh inning decided the game, 5-16.

This crucial loss leaves the Blue Eagles at second with a 6-3 record going into their final match against University of Santo Tomas, on Wednesday, March 20, at the same venue.

Photo by Mark Anastacio