The DLSU Green Batters successfully mounted a comeback victory in a ten-inning thriller against the UST Growling Tigers, 8-6, in Round One of the UAAP Season 87 Baseball Tournament earlier today, March 23, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Trailing 4-2 after the first six innings, the Taft-based squad came in clutch in the second half of the game to force an extra inning. With this victory, the Green Batters bagged their third straight win and improved to 3-1 in the standings.
First half woes
In the first inning, the Green Batters drew first blood as Renato Samuel delivered a hit that secured the first point of the game. With the Growling Tigers running cold with their bats in the bottom half, La Salle would capitalize on this to end the bottom of the first inning with a narrow lead, 1-0. In the second inning, the Green Batters were unable to add to their lead. However, they kept UST scoreless as Peter Nonaillada struck out Reymund Vargas. The Green-and-White closed the second inning with solid defensive plays, including a subsequent pop out and a fly out.
The momentum shifted to UST during the top of the third inning as the Growling Tigers displayed their defensive prowess, including a fly out and ground out. They maintained their performance in the bottom of the third, beginning with Mark Beronilla being awarded with a walk and later stealing second base. UST would put up one on the board to even the game as Vargas hit an RBI double past La Salle’s Liam De Vera, 1-all.
In the fourth inning, the Green Batters attempted to regain control of the match. Samuel opened the top of the fifth by securing a single and following it up by stealing second base. However, UST would come alive again on the defensive end with a ground out to Joseph Alcontin, a fly out to L. De Vera, and another ground out to Miguel Agoncillo to end the top of the fourth. UST would capitalize on this in the bottom of the fourth, with Timothy Caldo firing a double and setting up an eventual single RBI that gave UST the lead, 2-1.
With the Growling Tigers fighting back, starting pitcher Cedrick Marquez shut down the Green Batters once again in the top of the fifth. On the batting side, UST extended their advantage to 3-1 after Nonaillada gave up a leadoff double and an RBI groundout for Vargas.
Storming back
At the top of the sixth, La Salle made up some ground after Marquez walked Agon De Vera and Alcontin. With two outs, the UST center fielder dropped a routine fly ball from L. De Vera, allowing DLSU to slash the deficit to two. However, the España-based squad quickly restored their two-run lead in the bottom of the inning after two straight singles from Prince Geronimo and Caldo led to an RBI groundout by UST, extending the Thomasians’ advantage to 4-2.
The pivotal moment came in the seventh inning as the Green Batters turned in a three-run inning. Rookie Agoncillo led off with a walk and a subsequent steal before a sacrifice bunt by fellow rookie Yuan Sumague allowed him to advance to third. Ezy Bautista then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing Agoncillo home. La Salle dealt most of the damage with two outs as two straight walks from Barry Oñas and A. De Vera set the stage for rookie Marco Flores, who hit a two-RBI double to center field, allowing the Green Batters to reclaim the lead, 5-4.
However, the lead was short-lived as Oñas, who came in as relief for Nonaillada in the sixth, gave up a run due to key defensive mistakes by the shortstop and the second basemen. A passed ball by Samuel allowed the UST runner on third to come home, tying the game at 5-all.
Both teams were unable to score in the eighth as L. De Vera took the mound and shut down the Growling Tigers. At the top of the ninth, La Salle had a golden opportunity with runners on first and second with no outs. However, relief pitcher Jesus Cabigao shut down the Green Batters’ momentum, blocking any runs. L. De Vera matched this pitching performance in the bottom of the ninth with the help from a brilliant catch by left fielder Agoncillo, sending the game into extra innings.
Coming up big
Under UAAP rules, there is automatically a runner on second base at the start of extra innings. Samuel was tasked to take this role. Alcontin led off with a well-executed bunt that advanced the runner to third before L. De Vera was walked. Coach Joseph Orillana then made a game-changing decision when he subbed in pinch-hitter Pio Villamiel, who hit a massive two-RBI double to left field. A single by Bautista and throwing errors by the UST shortstop led to another run, giving the Green Batters an 8-5 edge.
L. De Vera only allowed one run in the bottom of the tenth, awarding the Taft-based squad a thrilling 8-6 victory.
Coach Orillana lauded his team’s resilience that led to their comeback, “Sabi ko nga sa kanila sa mga trainings namin, ginagawa namin lahat ng adjustments. ‘Yung mental toughness na lang [at] ‘yung drive to win kasi minsan dun na lang kami nagkukulang. At least dito, sa last part ng game, nagawa ‘yung gusto namin. Credit pa rin [sa kanila kasi] nandun ‘yung mental toughness nila. Hindi sila bumigay.”
(I told the players that in our training, we make the adjustments. The only thing missing is the mental toughness and the drive to win because sometimes we lack those. At least at the last part of this game, we were able to do what we wanted. Credit to them because their mental toughness was there. They did not give up.)
Striving to close Round One on a high note, the Green Batters are gearing up for a Finals rematch against the NU Bulldogs this Wednesday, March 26, at the same venue.
