UNSCATHED AND undefeated, the Ateneo Baseball Team stood high above the competition with a top finish that secured them a second consecutive gold at the WBSC Hong Kong International Baseball Open 2017 held from December 14 to 17 in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The win marks the Blue Eagles’ third win in three appearances at the tournament, with the squad winning in 2014 and 2016 prior to this year’s edition of the baseball open. 

The Blue Eagles played the diamond against three other baseball clubs hailing from Hong Kong, China, and Australia. An initial round-robin pitted every team against each other once, with the top two teams then advancing to the championship bout.

Matches

The Blue Eagles opened their international stint against Sydney University Baseball Club (SDU). Radito Banzon’s reliability on the plate carried Ateneo to the 12-7 victory and a promising start.

With two more opponents to face in the elimination round, the team was pitted against the then undefeated Hong Kong Blue (HKB) in their next match. An overall team effort on defense held HKB at bay, delivering a steady 9-6 victory to the Blue and White.

Day 3 saw the Blue Eagles steamroll their way to a 12-3 win past Lanzhou New Way of China, bringing them a perfect 3-0 record that set up a do-or-die ball game with SDU for the championship.

In the final match, Sydney University struck first on the scoreboard, but Ateneo quickly turned the momentum around. Through a display of heart and tenacity on the diamond, the Blue Eagles eventually pulled away en route to a 10-4 victory and the crown.

Apart from the first place finish, the Ateneo squad bagged several individual awards. Marco Mallari was named as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, Paulo Macasaet won Most Winning Pitcher, Marquis Alindogan took home Most Stolen Bases and Most Hits, while Head Coach Randy Dizer was named as the tournament’s Best Coach.

Bagging the title for the second year in a row, the Blue Eagles tuck another gold under their belt, gaining valuable experience and exposure as a unit entering a new collegiate season.

The boys will have a different crown to defend heading into the next semester of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Baseball tournament, which opens in February 2018.

“This tournament gave us the opportunity to play at a high level of baseball with teams from around the world,” shares captain Dino Altomonte. “Successfully defending our title is a big confidence boost for us coming into our next season.”

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