The Ateneo Baseball Team (ABT) claimed its second victory in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 Baseball Tournament following a 10-9 outing against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Sox. The contest was held earlier today, March 11, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in the City of Manila.
Now boasting a record of 2-2, the Blue Eagles remain firmly in the Final Four picture, holding steady at fourth place.
Opening the match with stellar defense, Ateneo picked up UST’s ground out, while pitcher Mickey Osorio forced consecutive strikeouts on opposing batters. Despite Dax Fabella and Team Captain Joshua De Juras advancing to second and third base, the Blue Eagles failed to capitalize on this after a fly out from Angelo Bernardo ended the first inning, 0-0.
In the second inning, both teams continued to be plagued by erratic swinging, which resulted in no runs for either side, 0-0. However, the Espana-based squad got on the board after Ateneo lost touch, giving UST their first run in the third inning. Osorio then forced another strikeout, but Ateneo remained without a run in the bottom frame, 0-1.
Leveraging on their momentum, the Golden Sox started the fourth inning with a double to log two more runs, 4-0. In need of a response, Joaquin Mariano delivered Ateneo’s first point after stealing third base and seizing home on an error, 1-4. Following a single from Fabella loading all bases, UST’s shaky pitching allowed batter Zane Padres a walk, consequently sending Waji Magsadia home for Ateneo’s second run, 2-4. Juan Odulio then allowed Fabella and De Juras to score, 4-4.
Capping off their offensive onslaught, Mariano launched another powerful bat to send all three runners home, mounting a 7-0 blitz before the end of the fourth inning, 7-4.
The top of the fifth inning witnessed Ateneo’s basemen fail to contain UST’s aggressive line drives, enabling the Black and Gold to regain the lead with four runs, 7-8. While Ateneo also struggled to replicate their offensive strategy from the previous inning, they managed to stay at pace as Aleck Ferrolino scored off an error, 8-8.
Team Captain De Juras, who relieved Osorio of his pitching duties during the fifth inning, rose to the occasion in the sixth inning. His performance allowed Ateneo to stay within striking distance, holding UST scoreless for two innings. With newfound confidence, the Katipunan-based squad managed to break through at the bottom of the seventh after a strong swing from Osorio that brought home fellow comrades Fabella and Prades to home plate, 10-8.
De Juras continued to neutralize the Golden Sox offense as the Recto-based outfit was unable to advance a single base. However, fatigue began to set in for the Blue Eagles, who also failed to score at the bottom of the eighth.
With one more inning left, Ateneo needed one last push to seal the victory and finish the game early. Despite strong prospects initially, cracks began to show as Ateneo’s fumbles in catching the rock allowed UST’s Timothy Caldo to score an inside-the-park homer to draw his team within one, 10-9. Remaining unfazed, the Blue Eagles ultimately sealed the victory after striking out Charlie Belgar to end the top of the ninth with a 10-9 scoreline.
The Blue and White will look to close the first round with a win in their rescheduled bout against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Sunday, March 15, at 8:00 AM in the same venue.
The Lines:
Ateneo (10): 0 0 0 7 1 0 2 0 0 – 10 8 4
UST (9): 0 0 1 3 4 0 0 0 1 – 9 8 6
Current Standings (W-L):
- NU Bulldogs (3-0)
- DLSU Green Batters (2-1)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (2-2)
- UP Fighting Maroons (1-2)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (1-2)
- UST Golden Sox (1-3)
