The DLSU Green Batters suffered a narrow loss to the UST Growling Tigers in a low-scoring affair, 4-3, earlier today, April 13, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Coming out swinging
Hoping to remain in contention for the top seed, rookie Barry Oñas took the mound for the Green Batters. It was not an ideal start for the young pitcher as the Growling Tigers immediately seized the lead at the top of the first inning. After giving up a leadoff walk to Alwyn Piñero and a single to Cedrick Marquez, UST’s Justine Rosales brought the first run home with a sacrifice fly to right field. The Thomasians made it a 2-0 ballgame after a grounder by Harry Geronimo yielded a fielding error from Agon De Vera.
La Salle responded in the bottom of the first, ultimately taking the lead. Leadoff hitter Ezy Bautista was hit by Growling Tigers starting pitcher Jesus Cabigao, before A. De Vera hit an RBI single to left center to give the Green Batters their first run. Renato Samuel brought the second run home after a fielder’s choice allowed A. De Vera to cross home plate. The inning was capped off by an RBI single by JR Alcontin, handing the Taft-based squad a one-run advantage after the first period, 3-2.
Starting from the second inning, both pitchers found their groove, with neither side conceding any run in the next four innings.
Late game struggles
At the top of the sixth, the España-based squad regained control of the match. Sean De Leon led off with a single before two sacrifice outs allowed him to reach third. This set the stage for Piñero to level the game with an RBI single to center field. Marquez followed up with another base hit to left. After this, Oñas was pulled from the game in favor of reliever Peter Nonaillada. However, the relief pitcher struggled to start well as he surrendered an RBI single to JR Vargas, giving the Growling Tigers a 4-3 lead.
La Salle were unable to find an answer for Cabigao, who pitched a complete game and kept the Green Batters scoreless in the last three innings. Eventually, the match ended with the Green-and-White dropping their first game in Round Two.
With only one game left until the Final Four, Green Batters Head Coach Joseph Orillana stressed the importance of having a stronger offense, “[Kailangan ma-improve ‘yung] opensa lang kasi maganda na ‘yung depensa pati ‘yung pitching. Nagkulang lang kami sa paluan.”
(We need to improve the offense because the defense and the pitching is already good. We just lacked on the hitting side.)
The DLSU Green Batters fall to a 6-3 record and are now guaranteed to finish as the second seed. They will look to end the elimination round strong after the Holy Week break when they face the defending champions NU Bulldogs on April 23 at the same venue.
