The DLSU Green Batters were defeated by the UST Growling Tigers, 11-6, yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Diamond. Finding themselves down early after giving up seven runs in the third inning, the Green Batters were unable to stage a comeback rally despite scoring the last three runs of the game.
Paolo Salud and Ignacio Escaño led La Salle with two runs apiece, while UST pitcher Ian Llave had a solid performance through seven innings for the Growling Tigers. Ron dela Cruz led the UST offense with three runs in five at-bats, including two singles.
Dismal third inning
The Growling Tigers immediately put the pressure on starting pitcher Boo Barandiaran, as they zoomed to a 3-0 lead at the top of the first inning. However, La Salle would quickly respond with three runs of its own. Being at the top of the batting order, Salud drove in a triple to start things off for the Green Batters. Likewise, Escaño and Kiko Gesmundo would soon follow suit, as they all managed to reach home to tie the game at 3-3.
However, Barandiaran would continue to struggle on the mound. After barely escaping the second inning, he committed three errors while allowing UST to score off a total of six runs before DLSU head coach Joseph Orilliana made a series of pitching changes by the third.
With Les Cabiling entering the game in place of Barandiaran, the Growling Tigers had a 6-3 lead, with only one out. But the Green Batter would come up with two walks, an error, and another run scored by UST, forcing the DLSU bullpen to make yet another pitching substitution. Catcher Paul Naguit made a costly error in field play, as the Growling Tigers capitalized on the bases, pushing their lead to seven. As Arvin Herrera secured the final out of the inning to stop the bleeding, the Green Batters were facing a huge 10-3 deficit.
DLSU comeback falls short
After scoring three runs in the first, the Green Batters would go scoreless through five innings, as the UST defense led by Llave was solid throughout. Meanwhile, the Thomasians would sneak in another run in the fifth inning courtesy of Dela Cruz to increase their lead to 11-3.
But the Green-and-White would stage a comeback in the seventh inning. After a Salud walk, Escaño delivered a two-run home run to cut the UST lead, 11-5, forcing the Growling Tigers to retire Llave. La Salle would score the final run of the game off an Escaño single as he brought home Joaquin Bilbao in the eighth inning. However, UST managed to stave off the rally to hold on to the victory, 11-6.
DLSU will seek to bounce back versus the NU Bulldogs on Sunday, March 5, at 1 pm at the same venue.
