The DLSU Green Batters were outscored by the defending champion NU Bulldogs, 9-6, to cap off Round Two of the UAAP Season 87 Baseball Tournament earlier today, April 23, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Slow start
With their final game of the Elimination Round against rivals NU being a nonbearing game, La Salle fielded their second stringers. The Bulldogs immediately found a gap in DLSU’s defense at the bottom of the first. Kent Altarejos batted in Kiel Olazo to open the scoring for NU, 1-0. Herald Tenorio hit an RBI double to send Altarejos home, doubling their lead in the first inning. In the bottom of the third, Tenorio returned to the spotlight, enabling another run as Olazo added to NU’s lead, 3-0.
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Bulldogs exploded in the bottom of the fifth inning. NU’s experienced group dismantled the defense of La Salle. After a run by Olazo and Tenorio, the Green Batters were unable to limit their errors as Kyle Hardillo’s hit extended NU’s advantage to seven, 7-0.
Fighting back
In the top of the sixth, the Green-and-White found their rhythm. With loaded bases, Marius Paulino hit two RBI double to put DLSU on the scoreboard, 7-2. Kirk Bigcas followed up his teammate’s effort after his hit gave more runs to the Green Batters, 7-4. However, the spark was soon erased by the Bulldogs in the bottom of the sixth as the defending champions grabbed two more runs, 9-4.
Unfazed, the Green Batters attempted to claw their way out of a deficit at the top of the seventh inning. Pio Villamiel batted in Johan Rentero and Dustine Rebustillo to cut the gap to three, 9-6. However, their run was stopped when an NU pitcher struck them out. A change of pitcher gave the Green-and-White a boost as fresher arms helped the defense halt any NU run. Despite this move, the Green Batters could not convert any more runs in the final two innings as they suffered their second defeat to NU this season, 9-6.
Green Batters Head Coach Joseph Orillana shared that his decision to rotate his squad was a strategic choice. He wanted to give more opportunities and game time for the second stringers while further motivating his starters. As he explained, “Sabi ko para makalaro rin mga second stringer since no bearing na game na ‘to. Isa rin sa purpose ko is masabik ‘yung mga first stringer kasi gustong gusto nila maglaro. ‘Yun ‘yung preparation namin para sa semifinals iba na ‘yung isip nila. Nandoon na ‘yung drive to win nila.”
(I said that it was so the second stringers can also play since the game had no bearing. I also wanted the first stringers to be more excited for the upcoming games since I know they want to play so that when the semifinals comes, they have a different mindset. Their drive to win will be there already.)
Coach Orillana added what his team needs to work on before a high-stakes Final Four, “Timely hits ‘yun ‘yung kailangan namin tapos ‘yung depensa. Tumatama naman kami sa kanila ‘yun nga lang untimely hits tapos nadagdagan ng mga errors. Hopefully hindi na mangyari sa game kasi alam naman namin na kaya naming ipanalo ‘yung game.”
(We need more timely hits and better defense. We hit in the game, but it was untimely, and there were errors that were piling up. Hopefully, it will not happen in the game since we know that we can win the game.)
After this loss, the Green Batters drop to a 6-4 record to end the second round. They now await their semifinals schedule against the UST Growling Tigers as they continue their campaign to reclaim their crown.
