THE ATENEO Baseball Team (ABT) bowed to the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons in a shutout defeat, 0-10, for their fourth loss in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 Baseball tournament. The match was held earlier today at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in the City of Manila.
With the loss, the Blue Eagles end the first round of Season 87 with a 1-4 win-loss slate.
Ateneo struggled to take flight as Jimbo Matanguihan claimed momentum for the Soaring Falcons at the bottom of the first inning. After scoring a single, the veteran challenged Ateneo at the bases, stealing second and third to ultimately tally their first run from a passed ball, 1-0.
Eager to level the field at the top of the third inning, Luis Casanova outplayed Adamson pitcher James Nisnisan in the center to earn a walk to first base. Infielders Waji Magsadia and Dax Fabella boasted their batting capabilities to supplement Casanova’s efforts with singles of their own. With runners on bases and a solid chance for an equalizer, Magsadia and Fabella’s double play attempt failed to materialize, as AdU’s persistent defense met the Blue Eagles on the diamond, 0-1.
The Soaring Falcons maximized their offensive edge at the bottom of the fourth inning as Lucas Atendido’s pitches were anticipated by Joao Severino and Kristan Reyes for free walks to first base. The Katipunan-based outfielders particularly struggled to contain a convincing fly ball from Mark Simbajon and a grounder by Chris Bacarisas, allowing AdU to generate a two-point surge, 3-0.
After Adamson tacked two more runs to their tally, the Blue Eagles looked to get on the scoreboard but were swiftly shut down by a double play in the fifth. The Soaring Falcons then racked up hits against the Ateneo battery—even drilling a line drive triple at one point. Blue Eagle Fabella terminated the drawn-out inning with a pop-out, yet the damage had already been done, as the Ermita-based squad’s lead ballooned to 9-0.
Ateneo’s offensive woes carried on to the sixth frame, as Adamson shut them down in just three at-bats. To counter, Aleck Ferrolino stepped out of the dugout and quickly closed the inning with two groundouts and a flyout. However, the Soaring Falcons’ battery did not let up in the seventh, delivering a dominant 1-2-3 inning.
With the game on the line, Ferrolino logged two outs within the first three batters. Despite the reliever’s efforts, a timely single by John Mark Tupig allowed Chris Bacarisas to reach home plate, sealing the game at 0-10 via mercy rule before Ateneo could score a single run.
Determined to turn their season around, the ABT will take to the field again in the second round of the UAAP Season 87 tournament. The list of venues and dates will soon be announced.
The Lines:
Ateneo (0): 0 0 0 0 0 0 x x x – 0 3 3
AdU (10): 1 0 0 2 6 0 1 x x x – 10 10 2
Current Standings (W-L):
- NU Bulldogs (4-0)
- DLSU Green Batters (3-1)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (2-2)
- UST Golden Sox (1-3)
- UP Fighting Maroons (1-3)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (1-4)
