LEAVING A trail on international grounds, the Ateneo Baseball Team (ABT) delivered a series of standout performances to secure a respectable third-place finish at the 2024 Hong Kong International Baseball Open (HKIBO) Tournament.
The annual event was held from December 13 to 15 at the Sai Tso Wan Baseball Field in Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Ateneo vs. Zhongshan Panda
Kicking off their campaign at the Kowloon-based ballpark, Ateneo faced an early 0-2 deficit against the Zhongshan Panda Baseball Team following a double and dropped third strike in the first inning.
Nevertheless, the Blue Eagles bounced back in the second, drawing a series of walks off Xin Yu Chen’s shaky pitch control to tie the game at 2-2. Ateneo’s momentum continued in the fourth frame, where an error and a hit from Emilio Perez secured a two-run advantage for the Blue and White, 4-2.
The Blue Eagles’ brief lead quickly dissipated in the second half of the fourth inning, as a chain of sacrifice bunts swung the advantage back to Zhongshan, 4-5. Although Angelo Bernardo’s single brought Alfy Tuerres home to tie the game, the Pandas scored a go-ahead run in the final inning to clinch a 6-5 victory.
Even in the loss, first baseman Matt San Juan demonstrated a well-rounded show on the diamond, recording 11 putouts (PO), two walks (BB), one run batted in (RBI), and one run against the Pandas.
Ateneo vs. Hong Kong Falcons
On the second day of the event, the Blue Eagles locked wings with the Hong Kong Falcons.
In stark contrast to their opening game, Ateneo soared to a 2-0 run advantage, with Perez’s hit toward left field bringing Luis Magsadia home, followed by Luis Casanova scoring on a fielder’s choice.
However, Ateneo’s early lead was gradually chipped throughout the game, as Long Chi Lee and Kwan Lai took advantage of the Blue and White’s defensive errors, tying the game at 2-2 in the sixth frame.
Bernardo pulled Ateneo ahead by scoring a run, but Lai’s crucial steal and subsequent run in the final half-inning brought the game back to a deadlock, 3-3. Carrying this momentum on defense, Falcons’ pitcher Chun Cheung denied Ateneo any chance to score in the final inning, ending the Saturday bout in a 3-3 tie.
Shining in this contest anew was San Juan, who tallied 11 whopping POs in the tie. Meanwhile, Casanova demonstrated his offensive prowess with three hits, one run, and one stolen base (SB) in just four at bats.
Ateneo vs. Hong Kong National Team
After their draw, the Blue Eagles ended the preliminary round against the Hong Kong National Team. Unfortunately, the Blue Eagles were unable to outpace their Hongkonger counterparts’ hot start, absorbing a heavy 3-18 defeat.
Despite the loss, shortstop Casanova stood out the most for the Blue and White as he scored a run and went 1-for-1 at bat for an RBI. Along with right fielder Lance Ordonez, pitchers Joshua de Juras and Lucas Atendido were also able to secure hits on their stints at bat, with the former two scoring a run.
Ateneo vs. Hong Kong Falcons (3rd Place Match)
With their loss to Hong Kong cementing their third-place finish in the preliminaries, the Katipunan-based squad aimed to end their tournament stint with a podium finish in a rematch against the Hong Kong Falcons.
The ABT suffered a slow start as defensive misplays quickly put them down 0-2 after the third inning. Finally finding their groove at the top of the fifth, the Blue Eagles put themselves into good scoring positions thanks to hits from Zeke Laygo and Dax Fabella, with Casanova’s hit returning both runners home to tie the game 2-apiece. The Katipunan-based sluggers completed their comeback with Bernardo reaching home plate due to an error from the Falcons, 3-2.
The Blue and White continued their onslaught at the seventh period as Anton Odulio, Rafa Aquino, and Perez increased the lead to 6-2. The team scored once more while only limiting their Hong Kong-based adversaries to one more run the rest of the game to secure their podium finish, 7-3.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles concluded their stint in the HKIBO in third place after a record of one win, one draw, and two losses.
The squad hopes to use this experience as a foundation for a successful campaign as they ramp up their preparations for UAAP Season 87.
The Lines – Battle for Third:
Ateneo Blue Eagles (7): 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 1 – 7 11 6
Hong Kong Falcons (3): 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 – 3 8 3
Final Standings (W-D-L):
- Hong Kong, China (3-1-0)
- Zhongshan Panda (2-1-1)
- Ateneo Blue Eagles (1-1-2)
- Hong Kong Falcons (0-1-3)
