In familiar territory, the DLSU Green Batters were able to secure yet another championship appearance as they gun for a third consecutive UAAP Baseball Championship. The squad was triumphant in a 6-4 victory where right-handed pitcher Peter Nonaillada played a complete game with a top-class performance on the mound yesterday, April 14, at the UP Diliman Baseball Field.
Facing off against the fourth-seeded UST Growling Tigers, the defending champions showed their tenacity and determination to win. Predicated by their remarkable defense, the Green Batters controlled the game and protected their lead with big-time hits and composed baserunning.
On the hitting side, Ezy Bautista led the team with three runs-batted-in (RBIs) and three hits, including a triple at the bottom of the second, which gave La Salle a lead they never relinquished. Another key contributor was Aragorn De Vera, who had three hits of his own.
With the team set on winning their third straight championship title, Nonaillada echoed the team’s mindset approaching this crucial semifinal and moving forward, “It doesn’t matter who we’re going to go against. I’m expecting everyone to step up and give their all, just like how they played today.”
Eager and determined
The top of the first inning was off to a good start as two UST batters were put out early. Unfortunately, with two outs, the Green Batters conceded a run due to an RBI single from the Growling Tigers, 0-1. Before the España side could mount a two-out rally, catcher Renato Samuel threw out the baserunner who was stealing second base to retire the side. Though, the Green Batters were silent on the offensive end of the first inning and were unable to answer back.
In an eager attempt to get on the scoreboard, the defending champions quickly took out the UST batters at the top of the second inning. A stand-up double from Joseph Alcontin and a walk for Vince Flores set the stage for Bautista with two outs at the bottom of the second. He hit a line drive triple and brought in two runners, putting the Green Batters in the driver’s seat, 2-1.
The Taft-based defense was top-notch to start the third, rendering the bats of the trailing Growling Tigers useless and scoreless in the frame. With the same eagerness, DLSU’s De Vera got on base with a single and was then advanced after a masterful bunt from Pio Villamiel. With one out and runners on first and second base, Samuel launched the ball to left field to load the bases. La Salle would fail to convert the favorable scenario via infield flyball and subsequent routine ground out to retire the side. It remained 2-1, in favor of DLSU, at the end of the third.
The Green Batters had their batting helmets back on in no time, retiring the UST side in one-two-three fashion at the top of the fourth inning. After coming so close to crossing home plate the previous inning, center-fielder JM Segui hit a single and got on base to start the bottom of the inning. After some nifty baserunning, he was in scoring position after he stole second base. Shinji Kajihara then sent Segui home with an RBI double, giving DLSU the 3-1 lead. De Vera was next to step into the batter’s box and delivered an opposite-field RBI double that gave La Salle a 4-1 lead.
Bringing it home
Having created separation, the Green Batters looked to build on the lead, but the Growling Tigers responded at the top of the fifth. With the bases loaded and two outs after three singles, UST right fielder Reymond Vargas took advantage of an infield error to hit an RBI single. This was immediately followed by another fielding error that allowed Harry Geronimo to come up with his own RBI single and make it a one-run game.
Ever confident in his team’s defense, Head Coach Joseph Orillana shared what he told the team: “Sabi ko kung lalabanan natin sila sa paluan, mababaliktad natin ang situation. Labanan talaga natin sa paluan.”
(I told them if we battled them on the hitting side, we can reverse the situation. We really fought through hitting.)
Having lost the momentum, Nonaillada steadied the ship in the aftermath of the UST run by shutting out the Growling Tigers’ hitters in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. On the hitting side, the bats of the La Salle side came alive once again in the bottom of the seventh. Villamiel and Marco Micael both hit singles; however, it was their speed that made the difference in the inning. Flores came up with an RBI single, allowing Villamiel to get home from second. It was a similar story in the next at-bat as Micael rushed home from second as well on Bautista’s third hit of the day, giving the Green-and-White a 6-3 advantage.
Banking on Nonaillada’s fatigue from already pitching eight innings, the España-based side attempted to stage a comeback in the top of the ninth, but the La Salle pitcher finished the job, allowing only one run in the final period to cap off a quality performance.
“There was always a possibility that UST was gonna come back, but I trusted in myself, and I believed in my teammates. Of course, I couldn’t have done it without them. I just played my game, and they did too,” reflected Nonaillada on the team effort that produced another finals berth.
Following this spirited victory, the DLSU Green Batters hope to complete the quest for a three-peat as they line up in the Finals against the second-seeded NU Bulldogs—who took home the victory in their Round Two matchup. The two contenders take the diamond at 4 pm on Thursday, April 18, for Game One of their best-of-three series.
