The De La Salle University Green Batters picked up the team’s first win of the season in a thrilling, 5-4, come-from-behind victory against the Adamson University Soaring Falcons last January 13 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
“They made up for the first two games which they lost. The pitchers delivered and we managed to get enough hits. We had a few misunderstandings with the signals but the team had a good showing. Everyone stepped up today.” applauded Coach Joseph Orillana.
The Green Batters started the game, however, on a bad note as Adamson made three runs in the first inning to take an early lead. Several fielding errors and nixed catches led to Adamson’s lead.
In the second inning, Carlos Munoz had a golden opportunity to score for the Green-and-White, but his move was foiled at the last second as he dove for the home plate. The second and third innings were quiet as both squads failed to record a run.
The fourth inning was different as the Green Batters finally recorded a run to end the team’s drought. Edward Flores sprinted home from third base after Dino Imperial got a clear hit which the Adamson defense mishandled, allowing DLSU to cut the lead to two.
The Falcons remained scoreless in the fourth inning and the drought continued as both teams failed to record a run in the fifth and sixth innings. La Salle finally struck gold in the seventh inning as JR Labon, Franco Hashimoto and Cholo Dominguez sprinted to home base to give DLSU the lead, 4-3.
Both teams were shut down again in the eighth inning and Adamson went seven straight rounds without a run. The Green Batters finished the top of the ninth inning with another point after Team Captain Jay Laurel sent the ball to the left field and opened an opportunity for Hashimoto to make his second run of the game.
Adamson latter had one last chance to win the game, but the team only managed to make one run before surrendering to La Salle’s defense, which sealed DLSU’s win, 5-4.
“Nasa adjustment stage pa sila so ngayon, since nakakuha ng panalo sila, sana may momentum na kami.” said Orillana.
Laurel added, “We came together, we came back from a big deficit and we showed heart and this was a good morale booster.”
Unfortunately, the Batters’ female counterpart, the Lady Softbelles, incurred the team’s fourth loss in six games yesterday at the hands of the NU Lady Bulldogs, 4-8.
The Green Batters will look to build momentum from this win on Thursday, January 17, as the team faces last year’s champion, the National University Bulldogs at 10 am in the same venue.
