AFTER WINNING their first two matches to begin their University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 campaign, the Ateneo Blue Eagles were dismantled by the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 6-3. The match was held earlier this afternoon at their opponent’s home turf, the UP Diliman Baseball Field—putting the Blue Eagles at a 2-1 win-loss record.

Following 1-2-3 innings from both sides in the first frame, UP opened up the scoring in the second inning, taking advantage of some costly Ateneo errors to give them the game’s first two runs. Ateneo then countered with two runs of their own after a Dax Fabella Run Batted-In (RBI) hit and a UP fielding error translated into a run to tie the game, 2-2. 

The Fighting Maroons retook the lead in the third, 3-2, after a base-stealing attempt led to an Ateneo error and a run for UP. The Diliman-based squad then extended their advantage in the top of the fourth inning with impressive plate appearances, which included two extra base hits to put the Fighting Maroons lead at 5-2. 

Both starting pitchers, namely Ateneo’s Joshua De Juras and UP’s Dela Cruz, then settled down into their approach to put up multiple scoreless frames on the board after shaky starts to their afternoon. The game stayed at 5-2 after seven innings in the Battle of Katipunan. 

In need of a late rally, Joaquin Mendoza poked a single to center field and stole second base on the next pitch. Javi Limpo then rewarded Mendoza with an RBI hit to send him home and cut into the UP lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, 5-3. 

Before a late stoppage due to Joaquin Casanova’s on-field injury, UP added an insurance run to make it a three-run game once again, 6-3, in the top of the ninth inning. Ateneo was unable to answer back as late hits went for naught and the Blue Eagles suffered their first loss, 6-3. 

The Blue Eagles look to bounce back as they go up against the Adamson University Soaring Falcons on Wednesday, March 22, at 7:30 AM at the same venue.