National University Nazareth School moved to the brink of a finals berth, while De La Salle Zobel climbed to second place in the UAAP Season 88 High School Baseball Tournament on Saturday.
The Bullpups defeated the Ateneo Blue Eagles in eight innings, 11-1, while the Junior Green Batters toppled the University of Santo Tomas Jr. Golden Sox, 12-7, extending their respective winning streaks to three at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
NUNS broke free from a 1-1 deadlock at the top of the sixth inning, scoring five runs to pull away, 6-1.
Justin Lauriquez, Denrick Plaza, Chester Mateo, Kyle Montallana, and Orlando Cedillo all crossed the plate during that rally, fueled by two singles, two doubles, and a triple.
The Bullpups added four more runs in the seventh inning, building a 10-1 lead en route to the win that improved their record to 5-2.
“Sobrang happy kami sa ipinapakita ng team ngayon kasi kahit na nung first round na shaky kami, at least ngayon mukhang nag-mature na agad ‘yung mga bata,” said NUNS head coach Romar Landicho.
NU will bat for a spot in the finals next Saturday, the last day of the elimination round, against DLSZ.
However, the Bullpups can secure a finals berth as early as Wednesday if both UST and PAREF Southridge fail to win their respective games.
Catcher Jopet Tabat and third baseman Jericho Catchero each notched two hits for NU, with the former driving in three runs and the latter contributing two RBIs.
Left-hander Dave Suico pitched all eight innings for the Bullpups, allowing just six hits while striking out four.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, the Junior Green Batters unleashed a dominant fourth inning, scoring nine runs to build a commanding 10-2 lead against the Junior Golden Sox.
DLSZ’s surge came on seven walks, four hits, and one UST error, as the Golden Sox rotated through four pitchers during the disastrous frame.
“The team executed, all the key players and the pitchers delivered. Maganda kasi ‘yung body language kaya nagdidire-diretso na ‘yung mga panalo,” said Junior Green Batters head coach Gil Encarnado Jr. after his team improved to solo second at 4-2.
UST tried to fight back with four runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but relief pitchers Aljun Tapia and Andrei Valeros held them in check the rest of the way.
Tapia led DLSZ with two hits and three RBIs, while Jan Rein Soriano recorded three hits and two RBIs.
Isaac Ferrer, who entered as a pinch-hitter in the fourth, added two hits and two RBIs as the Junior Green Batters avenged their 18-6 mercy defeat to UST in the first round.
Aside from walks and hit-by-pitches, DLSZ’s pitching staff of Leohj Palanog, Soriano, Tapia, and Valeros held UST to just four hits.
On the other hand, UST’s pitchers—Eugene Hermozura, Marcus Tolentino, Miguel Adorio, and Joshua Ibabao—gave up 10 hits and walked 12 batters.
UST, which led the league after the first round, suffered its second straight loss to drop to 3-3, tied for third with Southridge.
First Game:
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLSZ | 1 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 5 | ||||||
| UST | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
Second Game:
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NUNS | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | x | 11 | 11 | 1 | ||||
| Ateneo | 1 | x | 1 | 6 | 5 |
