De La Salle University commenced its three-peat bid in the UAAP Baseball Tournament in style, ripping arch-rival Ateneo de Manila University, 9-3, on Sunday at the UP Baseball Field.
Opening a new era as national team stalwarts and heavy hitters Iggy Escano and Julius Diaz have already exhausted their playing years, the Green Batters leaned on their defense to secure the win.
UAAP Season 85 Finals MVP Joshua Pineda stood tall for De La Salle, limiting Ateneo to two runs on three hits, and fanning eight batters he faced.
Lord Aragorn De Vera then proved solid in the closing effort despite a run added to the Blue Eagles’ tally.
“Sabi ko nga, maganda na mag-start sila ng season na panalo. Kung magra-rally ‘yung kalaban, tiisin pa rin. Huwag mawawala ‘yung focus sa laro. Ganun talaga para manalo,” said decorated Green Batters head coach Joseph Orillana.
Down one at 1-2 at the bottom of the fourth inning, the Green Batters turned the tide with three runs.
Two of those came at the expense of Blue Eagles’ substitute pitcher Joshua De Juras with three runs.
Ezy Bautista, JM Segui, and Joseph Alcontin all crossed the home plate for a 4-2 lead that the reigning champions never relinquished
The lead ballooned to five in the sixth inning, with the three Green Batters’ runs all coming against another Blue Eagle pitcher Manuel Senador, pushing the advantage well beyond reach.
“Kulang pa rin kami sa paluan. Sabi ko, kung ma-hold kami ng pitcher, ang gawin muna namin is inside baseball tayo. Pero mas maganda, manalo ng paluan talaga para mas convincing,” said Orillana on what he seeks to see as the season progresses.
Segui finished with two hits in four at-bats to pace the Green Batters’ offense, scoring two of the nine runs in the process.
Second-year catcher Joaquin Casanova started well for Ateneo going two-on-two in his first two at-bats.
However, the Ateneo bullpen succumbed to their rivals as five pitchers were needed to stop the game from ending prematurely.
The Line:
Ateneo 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 – 3 6 5
DLSU 0 0 0 1 3 0 3 2 x – 9 6 3
