IN THE first Game 3 match in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Baseball Finals since Season 75, the Ateneo Blue Eagles were outlasted by the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers, 9-11, on Friday, April 5 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila.

Errors plagued Ateneo early on, with Paulo Salud reaching first on a poor throw from Javi Macasaet. After Iggy Escaño grounded out and allowed runners to advance to second and third, Tuwi Park was walked to load the bases. Kiko Gesmundo recorded two runs batted in (RBI) before getting caught out at second to retire the side.

Quite surprisingly, Gesmundo started on the mound, replacing the Finals Game 1 and 2 DLSU starting pitcher, Lui Miñana. The eventual Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) made quick work of the Ateneo side to get his side back to bat.

Marco Mallari prevented DLSU from building on their 3-0 lead when he robbed Escaño of a home run with a catch deep into centerfield for the third out. In response to the DLSU offensive, Dino Altomonte made it home courtesy of a passed ball to open the scoring for Ateneo before Miguel Habana and Rodrigo Bitong both flew out to end the second inning, 1-3.

Despite two outs in the bag at the top of the third, Salud’s RBI-single forced Coach Randy Dizer to bring on Paulo Macasaet in favor of Miggy Angeles who started after a dominant display in Game 2. The veteran pitcher kept the score at 1-4 with a routine play to first. However, Ateneo’s offensive struggles continued in the third inning. Despite hits from Banzon and Mallari, J. Macasaet grounded out to retire the side.

In another productive outing at bat, an RBI-single from Boo Barandiaran and a passed ball ballooned DLSU’s lead, 1-6, before P. Macasaet stopped the bleeding with a strikeout. Ateneo answered right back, filling the bases through hits from Altomonte and walks on Bitong and Martin Tan. A fly out from Kiko Andaya, however, snuffed out the Ateneo chance.

After containing the Green Archers in their first scoreless inning in the game, the Katipunan-based squad finally found an offensive groove. With Banzon in scoring position and Macasaet at first, the hot-hitting Altomonte was intentionally walked, putting pressure on Tan to deliver. With two outs, the rookie blasted a grounder, scoring two runners to cut the deficit, 3-6.  

The Blue Eagles added two more runs in the sixth inning while keeping DLSU at bay, 5-6. Mallari’s RBI single sent Bitong home before J. Macasaet’s bomb to center field saw Mallari through.

DLSU rekindled their offensive effort in the eighth inning, capitalizing on errors and full bases to record three runs, 5-9. A crucial passed ball saw Barandiaran home from third while Jose Antonio Acuna’s grounder through the middle sent home two more runners.

Despite a painful outing, the Ateneo crowd was back on their feet when Mallari hit a double to left field, scoring Bitong and Luis Benedicto, who came on as a pinch-runner for Yoji Ueda. After an RBI-single from J. Macasaet, Altomonte continued his fine form with a hit that converted the tying run. A ground out from Tan ended a 4-run rally from the Blue Eagles in the eighth inning.

DLSU’s Diego Lozano was walked to start the ninth inning followed by crucial plays from Banzon and Mallari in the outfield for two outs. With the Blue Eagles inches away from containing the Taft-based side, Gesmundo unleashed a home run that gave the Green Archers a two-run cushion, 9-11.

After Gio Salvatierra struck out at the bottom of the ninth, Bitong landed a single, leaving Lean Ramos to bat as the tying run. The graduating player’s grounder only reached as far as the pitcher’s glove, resulting in a double play that abruptly ended the Blue and White’s hopes of bringing the UAAP crown to Loyola Heights for the first time since Season 79.

The conclusion of Ateneo’s UAAP Season 81 campaign also marks the last time seven Blue Eagles don the Blue and White as P. Macasaet, Banzon, Altomonte, Nacho Lozano, Jared Filart, Ramos, and Habana ran their final lap around the bases.