At the very start of the season, National University had one clear goal in mind — to defend its long-awaited UAAP Baseball title and complete a back-to-back championship run.
So when the Bulldogs met the dangerous Adamson University squad in the semifinals, they knew they had to rise to the occasion and prove they were still the team to beat.
Clinging to a slim 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, NU needed some breathing room — and they got it in emphatic fashion. A six-run explosion in that frame all but sealed the game and their spot in the Finals.
One of the catalysts in NU’s offensive surge was Kevin Maulit, who delivered what was arguably his best performance of the season. Maulit went 3-of-4 at the plate, sparking the seventh-inning rally with his second hit of the day. For the homegrown Bulldog, it all comes down to execution when it matters most.
“Nag-prepare lang kami ng mga utak naming kasi alam naming pupukpok talaga ‘yung Adamson kasi semis na ‘to eh. Hindi na kami pwedeng mag-relax, at ‘yung na nakuha naming ‘yung panalo,” said Maulit, a product of NU Nazareth School’s high school baseball program.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
NU’s ability to turn it up a notch came not just from last season’s championship experience, but also from the valuable lessons learned from their past disappointments.
“Yung maturity lang talaga namin sa laro and dinala namin rito ‘yung pagka-champion namin last year, kumbaga pinaglaan namin ‘yun dito and hindi namin binigay ‘yung laro,” Maulit shared.
“Bawat inning, na-adjust kami. Kaya nung naka-score kami ng marami, binigay namin ‘yung best namin para lumayo na nang husto sa Adamson.”
Now on the cusp of a historic back-to-back title, Maulit and the rest of the Bulldogs remain locked in, treating each game with the same intensity as a championship match. Because at this stage, every game is for the championship.
“Dapat nasa isip talaga namin na kukunin namin ‘tong back-to-back kasi history ‘yun sa NU, so sana magawa namin. Paghahandaan namin ‘yung La Salle and i-prepare namin ‘yung mga mindset namin and mga training namin, at i-apply lang namin ‘yon sa Finals.”
With momentum on their side, a focused mentality, and that explosive offense, the Bulldogs are on the brink of something special — and they just might complete the repeat.
