THE ATENEO Baseball Team (ABT) suffered a 3-15 defeat against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons in University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88. The match took place earlier today, March 25, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in the City of Manila.
Remaining without a victory in the second round of eliminations, Ateneo is now tied at fourth in the standings with UP at a 3-5 win-loss record.
The first inning saw Ateneo struggle defensively as UP quickly put two runs on the board off a shortstop error and a walk, 0-2. Making up for their slow start, basemen Dax Fabella and Joaquin Mariano curated a double play to prevent UP from adding more runs. However, the Blue Eagles’ turn on offense was cut short after the Fighting Maroons’ double play and Zane Prades’ flyout recorded three outs.
Both teams then stepped up on the defensive end, with their pitchers and fielders keeping the second inning scoreless on each side. Breaking the drought at the top of the third inning, UP’s VJ Mangahas batted in LM Basañes on a single to further put pressure on the Blue and White, 3-0. Despite UP executing another double play on Waji Magsadia’s line drive, Angelo Bernardo managed to reach home before the end of the bottom, 1-3.
In the fourth inning, an error from Fabella on a ground ball allowed Nano Asuncion to chip in another run for the Diliman-based squad, 1-4. Meanwhile, Ateneo’s offense remained hampered by UP’s pitching as their Katipunan counterparts forced a pop out and two strikeouts in the bottom of the inning.
Determined to remain in contention for victory, the Blue Eagles swiftly adjusted to the Fighting Maroons’ small-ball plays at the top of the fifth, resulting in a scoreless inning for the Diliman-based squad. Sensing opportunity, the Loyola Heights-based outfit replicated the strategy of their Katipunan counterparts, which allowed Mickey Osorio to score a run from second base after a grounder from Luis Mendoza, 4-2.
With the lead down to just two, the Blue and White remained headstrong as a ground rule double later in the inning allowed Magsadia to bring home Aleck Ferrolino, trimming the deficit to one, 4-3.
As the sets went on, Ateneo began to show defensive inconsistencies that allowed UP to score seven runs over two innings. The latter’s offensive flurry began with a swing from Fighting Maroon Chinelle Manabat to center field, which allowed him to score a run batted in to bring home Daniel Badrina, 5-3.
With Ateneo continuing to search for answers, UP did not relent as they proceeded to unleash six runs over the course of two innings. As a result, the Blue Eagles found themselves down 3-11 after a line drive from Fighting Maroon Mangahas drove in Ken Torres.
Arriving at the top of the ninth, the Blue Eagles were on damage control as they looked to keep the Fighting Maroons’ advantage within single digits. With Ateneo’s fielding continuing to decline, UP loaded all bases. Eventually, Badrina managed to craft a stand-up triple, further extending the opposition’s advantage to 14-3. Continuing to pile on the points, Mangahas brought home Badrina to score the last run of the inning, 15-3.
The Blue Eagles left it all on the field with one inning left. Despite early outs from Rafa Aquino and Ryu Garcia, a brief opening emerged after a fumble by UP’s catcher allowed Ateneo to advance. However, Iñigo Bartolome was caught out as he attempted to advance to second, ending the game in the process.
Approaching a crucial stretch in their campaign, the ABT will look to regain momentum against the first-seeded National University Bulldogs on Sunday, March 29, at 11:00 AM in the same venue.
The Lines:
Ateneo (3): 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 – 3 6 10
UP (15): 2 0 1 1 0 0 4 3 0 – 15 20 2
Current Standings (W-L):
- NU Bulldogs (5-2)
- DLSU Green Batters (5-2)
- AdU Soaring Falcons (4-3)
- UP Fighting Maroons (3-5)
- ATENEO Blue Eagles (3-5)
- UST Golden Sox (2-5)
