It wasn’t the usual hard-hitting game for the league-leading Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, but they would gladly take this.
| TEAMS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| UP (0-6) | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||
| ADMU (5-1) | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
Behind another spectacular outing by ace pitcher Paulo Macasaet, the Blue Eagles locked down the hapless University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, taking a 4-0 shutout win, Sunday afternoon at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Though it was not the offensive showcase the Blue Eagles normally have, it’s a win that Ateneo Baseball program director Randy Dizer would take.
“I would rather go with the defense kasi pag maganda ang depensa, you’ll only need 1 to 3 runs to win. Pagka ang depensa mo nawala, you’re giving away what you scored, wala rin,” coach Dizer said.
“I’d rather have my pitcher delivering and the defense helping him. Mas maganda yun.”
Third-year pitcher Macasaet pitched seven innings in the game, allowing just two hits while striking-out seven batters. And he had to to work overtime in the game with the offense lagging behind.
“I was planning to use him four innings lang kaya lang dikit yung laro. Dito any team can beat anybody. I was forced to extend his innings,” Dizer said. “I was supposed to put Nacho Lozano in the middle then finish with Miggy [Angeles]. We had to ask Pau if kaya pa niya so nag-extend siya until seventh.”
And the defense more than made up for the lack of offense, as they were able to strand nine runners in the game — two left at third base.
“The defense, and daming tama [ng UP] sa tersera at sa short, but they only committed one error the entire game,” Dizer commended.
Marquis Alindogan and Radito Banzon punched in Ateneo’s first two runs of the game during the third inning, coming from sac flies from Marco Mallari and Javi Macasaet. Dino Altomonte and rookie Dan Laurel added two more during the sixth inning to widen the cushion.
Alindogan was the bright spot for Ateneo’s offense, going 2-of-3 at bat, scoring a run and an RBI.
Ateneo will next face the National University Bulldogs on Wednesday, February 1 at 10:30am. And it is not a game the Blue Eagles will take lightly as they gun for pole position.
“You’ve seen all the losses of NU, all by just one run, all come-from-behind. Masakit sa kanila yan. We cannot take them easy. Any team can beat anybody. I told them we need three more win,” Dizer said.
UP, on the other hand, look to pick up that elusive win when they take on the Adamson University Soaring Falcons on the same day at 7:00am.
