National University finally ended a 12-year drought for the coveted UAAP Baseball championship, claiming the Season 86 title in dominant fashion.
A key factor in their triumph was the rock-solid performance of their two ace pitchers — MJ Carolino and Amiel de Guzman, who anchored the squad’s defense.
Now, De Guzman feels determined to carry that momentum into the new season and help the Bulldogs achieve a rare back-to-back championship.
However, the Calaca, Batangas native remains focused on taking things one step at a time, embodying the team’s mindset heading into the season.
“Ito nga po, andito na naman kami sa larong ito. Handa kaming ibigay para manalo sa bawat game basta iisa-isahin namin. Bawat game, isa-isa lang; hindi namin iisipin kung sino ang susunod na kalaban namin. ‘Yun po munang kaharap namin, ‘yung sino ‘yung kalaban namin,” he said.
With his partner on the mound, Carolino, having exhausted his playing years, De Guzman cherishes the experience of playing alongside the Season 81 Best Pitcher and values the wisdom he imparted.
(C) Yvan Martinez/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
“Binigyan niya ko ng advice; ang sabi niya lang, ‘Kaya natin,’ kasi may tiwala siya. Last season, gan’on lang kami eh, kaya kahit kaming dalawa lang, nagagawa namin ‘yung bawat laro,” shared De Guzman, who was named Season 86 Best Pitcher.
That trust from Carolino and the rest of the team gave De Guzman the confidence to push through early struggles in their season opener against Adamson University. He eventually found his rhythm, delivering a crucial win while pitching for 7.2 innings.
“Inisip ko lang naman sa part na ‘yon na dahil kailangan ako ng team, dapat magawa ko ‘yung best ko, mapakita ko kung ano ko rito. At dapat heads-up ako sa kanila dahil ako ‘yung pitcher,” he added.
Now that the 22-year-old standout has regained his form, he is fully embracing the challenge of leading the Bulldogs’ title defense — starting with staying true to his role.
“As a pitcher, ikaw ‘yung puso ng team. Ikaw ang magdidikta kung paano tatakbo ‘yung laro sa loob ng diamond.”
