De La Salle University relied on a massive 10-run stretch in the middle innings to outlast archrival Ateneo de Manila University, 18–15, to take a piece of the lead in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Baseball tournament on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
The Green Batters took advantage of consistent offensive connections, pulling away in the fourth and fifth innings. Team captain Tuting Samuel highlighted the rally with his first home run of the season.
These back-to-back victories put De La Salle in a share of the top spot with reigning back-to-back champion National University, both holding a 5–2 win-loss record.
Senior catcher Samuel blasted Mikaelo Osorio’s pitch to deep center, out of reach of Josh De Juras, scoring Ezy Bautista and Barry Oñas for De La Salle’s first lead at 6–5. Marco Flores added another run before the inning ended on a Pio Villamiel fly ball.
The Taft-based squad wasn’t done yet, tacking on six more runs over the next innings. Rookie Marco Tantuico stole the spotlight with a two-RBI single, then added another RBI on a sacrifice fly from Dustin Guong.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Ang sabi ko sa kanila, ang labanan namin rito ay paluan pa rin. Kasi kapag ganyang may mga struggle ‘yung pitcher sa strike zone and at the same time, nasasabayan pa ng mga bad calls, kailangan nating lumaban sa paluan. Ang mangyayari kasi no’n, masisira ’yung focus natin kasi nga do’n sa bad calls or sa errors. Dapat do’n tayo sa kung ano ‘yung makakatulong sa team,” said head coach Joseph Orillana.
Samuel finished with two hits and three RBIs, including another in the ninth inning to cap the game, while Tantuico ended with four hits and four RBIs. The Green Batters totaled 16 hits for the game.
Liam De Vera contributed three hits and delivered a strong performance on the mound, limiting Ateneo to five earned runs on seven hits to secure the win.
De La Salle will aim to avenge their first-round loss when they face the University of Santo Tomas Golden Sox in Wednesday’s third and final game of the tripleheader.
“Ang gagawin naman is sana gumana pa rin ‘yung paluan and at the same time mapaghandaan namin ‘yung mga pitchers nila. ‘Yung depensa naman, nand’yan lang naman ‘yan, one is to one lang. Kumbaga, kung magkaka-error, eh ‘di bawiin lang sa paluan,” Orillana said, explaining the team’s mindset for the crucial matchup against UST.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The Blue Eagles fell to a 3–4 record in fourth place, just behind the Adamson University Soaring Falcons (3–3), who were facing the Golden Sox at the time of this report.
Alfonso Tueres accounted for three RBIs on his lone hit, but starter Osorio’s nine earned runs off ten hits proved too much for the Katipunan-based squad to overcome.
Ateneo will open Wednesday’s tripleheader against the University of the Philippines at 7 a.m., also at the Malate venue.
| TEAMS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ateneo | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 17 | 3 | |||
| DLSU | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | x | 18 | 16 | 2 |
