Oñas’ 11th-inn walk-off vs Adamson gives La Salle twice-to-beat edge in UAAP Men’s Baseball

Barry Oñas’ long fly to right field gave De La Salle University the twice-to-beat advantage in the UAAP Season 88 Baseball Final Four, following a walk-off, 13–12, 11th-inning victory over Adamson University on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Soaring Falcons nearly pulled off the upset as Kurt Cabanillas broke the deadlock with a two-RBI single that scored John Matanguihan and Mark Montoya for a two-run lead after the top of the second extra inning.

The Green Batters’ defense, however, came through with a huge double play. Oñas fielded Raizen Pacquiao’s grounder, got Cabanillas out at second with Ezy Bautista covering, and then threw to first baseman Yuta Kajihara to retire Pacquiao.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

Just as Adamson had rallied to regain the advantage in the seventh, De La Salle responded, driving in their 15th and 16th hits to force another tie. Kajihara’s double brought Liam De Vera home, followed by Andres Lacson’s single that scored Miguel Agoncillo.

With bases loaded and no outs in the 11th, a combination of a safe hit, a walk, and a sacrifice fly from Oñas ended the game. The second-year second baseman sent a Kenneth Delos Santos pitch toward Pacquiao, who caught it, but Kajihara sprinted home for the winning run.

“Pinaalala ko lang din sa boys not to give up. Actually, kailangan namin ‘yung mga games na ganito. Dito sila matututong lumaban, kung paano nila iha-handle ‘yung pressure. Kailangan lang ma-experience nila, and, ito nga, must-win din sila para makuha ‘yung twice-to-beat advantage. Focus pa rin at huwag mag-give up, kasi kaya pa rin ipanalo,” said head coach Joseph Orillana on how the Green Batters countered the huge Soaring Falcons’ rally.

DLSU scored six runs in the sixth inning to take the lead for the first time at 8–3, but had to respond to Adamson’s late-game surge to secure the victory.

Captain Tuting Samuel led the Green Batters’ offense with two hits — a three-RBI homer in the sixth and a one-run single in the seventh — while Oñas finished with three hits and three RBIs, including the walk-off sacrifice hit.

De Vera added two hits of his own, but his clutch pitching in the 11th inning made the difference, allowing only a single from Cabanillas before helping anchor the massive double play that ended the half-inning.

With the win, the Green Batters climbed to the provisional top spot with a 7–2 record, just ahead of the National University Bulldogs at 6–2 in this tournament, which is held in partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission.

As of this writing, the reigning back-to-back champions are facing the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles. DLSU and NU will battle for the right to finish as the top seeds of the Final Four when they meet on Easter Sunday in the third and final game of the day.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

Adamson had taken a 3–2 lead after their sixth-inning at-bat but needed an immediate reply to DLSU’s six-run bottom-of-the-sixth rally to extend their chances for a Final Four spot.

The Soaring Falcons responded with a six-run surge of their own. Kean Matanguihan hit a two-RBI single that scored Nico Alig and John Matanguihan. The fourth-year centerfielder then scored himself before Zerge Madarimot drove in a run off a Milko Go single, reclaiming a one-run lead to end the inning.

Adamson briefly held the advantage in the second extra inning, but the hits allowed by Delos Santos and Oñas’ sacrifice fly swung the result in favor of DLSU.

Kean Matanguihan finished with two hits and three RBIs, including his sixth-inning single, while Cabanillas added a two-RBI single in the 11th. Madarimot contributed three hits and two RBIs, as Adamson ended with 14 hits, most of which came late in the game.

Adamson slipped to a 4–5 record and will face the University of the Philippines in a high-stakes matchup on Easter Sunday’s second game.