De La Salle University moved one step closer to ending National University’s reign and reclaiming the UAAP Collegiate Baseball title after three years.
The Green Batters finally solved the puzzle posed by the back-to-back champion Bulldogs, carving out a 2–1 victory in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 88 Finals on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.
In a game decided by fine margins, La Salle broke through against NU for the first time this season after dropping both of their elimination round meetings (14–4 in the first round and 10–5 in the second). The Bulldogs had also swept the Green Batters in each of the last two Finals series.
Liam De Vera, who has taken on starting duties for La Salle in recent games, anchored a defensive stand that kept their modern-day rivals scoreless through eight innings. His performance proved pivotal, as emphasized by head coach Joseph Orillana.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Ang ano nga namin is kailangang ma-solid namin ‘yung depensa. Tapos yung pitcher namin, si Liam. Andun siya sa peak niya na talagang gustong niyang kunin, kaya nagtiwala kami sa players. Ang (sinabi) lang namin is tulungan siya sa paluan at i-execute ‘yung mga plays na kailangan namin sa kanila,” said Orillana.
Following their coach’s directive, the Green Batters capitalized early. Marco Tantuico delivered a key hit that brought De Vera home for the game’s opening run. De Vera had reached base on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring.
La Salle doubled its lead in the third inning behind consecutive hits. Barry Oñas sparked the rally with a leadoff single to right field, before De Vera drove him in with an RBI double to left-center.
De Vera capped a dominant two-way performance, tallying one hit, one run, and one RBI on offense while throwing a complete game on the mound. The second-year standout allowed just four hits and one unearned run while striking out seven batters to stifle NU’s comeback attempts.
The Taft-based squad now stands just one win away from reclaiming the title it last held in Season 85. Orillana expects his team to maintain the same level of intensity heading into Game 2 on Friday at 8:00 AM at the same Malate venue.
“Ang naging difference is talagang determinado sila. Ang sinabi namin, dinala na namin kayo sa Finals. Ginawa namin ‘yung part namin, so kayo naman. Ang hinihintay namin dito is kung gaano kayo kadeterminadong makuha ‘yung Game 1, tsaka na natin intindihin ‘yung Game 2,” said Orillana, a champion both as a player and as a coach.
“Tiwala lang sa teammates, tiwala lang sa coaches; team effort lang talaga,” he added.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The Bulldogs attempted a late rally in the final three innings and finally broke through in the eighth, capitalizing on an error by shortstop Ezy Bautista.
What should have been a routine play at third — an attempt to catch Jherick Timban advancing — turned costly, as Bautista’s throw sailed past Tantuico, allowing Timban to score and trim the deficit to one.
NU threatened once more in the ninth, putting pressure on De Vera after Aaron Detoito worked a 3–0 count. The La Salle starter, however, regrouped and fired two straight strikes to stay in control.
The at-bat eventually resulted in a ground ball to Bautista, who initially bobbled it but recovered in time to throw to second baseman Oñas for the final out on Charles Chua.
No Bulldog recorded more than two hits, as NU managed just four hits overall against De Vera.
On the other side, national team standout Amiel De Guzman also went the distance, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out five in a complete-game effort.
| Teams | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLSU | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | |||||||
| NU | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
