A GLOOMY Sunday baseball afternoon left Ateneo blue for all the wrong reasons. After two straight overwhelming victories to start their season, the Ateneo Blue Eagles fell to the Adamson University (AdU) Soaring Falcons at 3-7 in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 80 Baseball tournament on Sunday, February 11, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila.
The team struggled from the plate throughout the game, failing to string together consistent hits to get on board. Veteran pitcher Jerome Yenson of Adamson recorded 13 strikeouts total, holding the Blue Eagles at bay throughout the match. The return of captain Marquis Alindogan proved to be the lone bright spot for Ateneo, with the second baseman accounting for the majority of the team’s offense after tallying three of their total five recorded hits.
Adamson opened the game with a flurry. A double from Bosito placed them ahead early in the match. Alindogan responded in the second with a double of his own to deep center field, which was followed up perfectly by a double from catcher Dino Altomonte to put Ateneo on the scoreboard with a single-run lead to end the second inning.
Adamson quickly swung the momentum back to their side with timely hits and capitalized on a few crucial errors from the Blue Eagles, regaining the 3-2 lead off a hit to left field. With one out to spare and coming off a fumble at home, veteran Javi Macasaet zoomed past second and third, beating Yenson in a sprint off for home plate. Macasaet came out on top and knotted the game at three apiece.
A deep ball to center field placed another runner safely home for Adamson at the top of the fourth, which Ateneo failed to respond to, leaving the Falcons with a 3-4 lead. The seesaw affair between the two squads was discontinued, as silent innings plagued both squads leading up to the seventh inning.
Miggy Angeles relieved Paulo Macasaet for pitching duties, but the Adamson batting rotation broke the stalemate with a subsequent double and single to bring in three more runners. From then on, Yenson suppressed the Blue and White’s hitting from the plate, keeping their 3-7 advantage.
At the bottom of the ninth, Alindogan showed signs of life, attempting to kickstart a rally after sending a monster triple down the right field line. But succeeding outs spelled end-game for the Blue Eagles, handing Ateneo their first defeat.
The Blue Eagles drop to 2-1 in the standings, but will try to recover in their next match. The rivalry-matchup special with the De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers is on Wednesday, February 14, 7:00 AM, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila.
