Coming from a tough loss in their last game, the DLSU Green Batters improved to a 2-1 record after a dominant victory over the NU Bulldogs, 14-3, earlier today, March 3, at the UP Diliman Baseball Field.
DLSU pitcher Peter Nonaillada put in a quality start, throwing for seven innings and only allowing two runs, while captain Vince Flores finished the job in the final two innings.
On the hitting side, Shinji Kajihara led the team with three hits and five RBIs, while JM Segui had two hits and two walks with an RBI.
Coming out swinging
The Green Batters immediately drew first blood at the top of the first after lead-off batter Segui drew a walk before stealing two bases. Lord Aragorn De Vera contributed to the team’s built momentum by bringing home the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly.
La Salle then used a three-run third inning to take control of the game. Kajihara hit an RBI double into center field, followed by a wild pitch during Renato Samuel’s at-bat that led to two runners reaching home to give the Green-and-White a comfortable 4-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs bit into the deficit at the bottom of the third after NU catcher Kent Altarejos hit a single that brought home Jherick Timban to put their first run on the board. However, the Green Batters responded swiftly in the fourth inning as Marco Micael came up with a double, followed by an RBI single from Patrick Rivera. Segui added to the advantage with another hit, bringing home Ezy Bautista and extending La Salle’s lead to 6-1.
Feel the fire
At the top of the sixth, the Green Batters swung their offense into full gear. After a pitch hit Segui, the bases were loaded, which Kajihara took advantage of by propelling in a single that brought Micael and Bautista home, 8-2. As NU sent in relief pitcher Amiel De Guzman, who was yet to get into the match’s rhythm, De Vera capitalized on this by releasing a sacrifice fly that allowed Segui to score a run, 9-2.
With a seven-run advantage in their hands, the squad from Taft entered the top of the ninth looking to ice the match. A pop fly from Samuel allowed him to head to second base, allowing De Vera to sprint and snag third base. Next at-bat was Pio Villamiel, who promptly sent De Vera home with a single, 10-2. The Green-and-White dominance ensued as the freshly-inserted Jasper Crisostomo flushed the baserunners home with a two-RBI single to put his side up 12-2. This was later echoed by Kajihara, who obtained a two-RBI single of his own, solidifying the win for the Green Batters, 14-2.
A last-ditch effort from the Bulldogs at the bottom of the ninth saw the bases loaded for them, which Altarejos used to deliver a one-RBI single, 14-3. The Sampaloc-based team had another chance at scoring a run with their bases loaded again, but they failed to deliver as they received their final out.
Following a disappointing loss to the UST Growling Tigers in their previous fixture, DLSU Head Coach Joseph Orillana expressed how it served as a lesson for the team, fueling their desire to win in today’s game. “Sabi ko na ito ang magiging wake-up call sa atin kasi hindi lang pwede pitcher lang ang nagtatrabaho sa team. Kailangan tulungan ng paluan, which [is] lumabas naman dito.”
(I told them this would be a wake-up call for us because the pitcher cannot be the only one doing the work in the team. We have to work together in hitting, which showed in this game.)
The DLSU Green Batters will look to continue to maintain their team play as they take on the AdU Soaring Falcons at 8 am on Thursday, March 7, at the same venue.
