The DLSU Green Batters fell short in their hopes of toppling the defending champions NU Bulldogs, 9-6, surrendering Game Two of the UAAP Season 87 Baseball Finals and La Salle’s redemption campaign earlier today, May 6, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Dogfight start
The Green Batters started their do-or-die game with vengeance on their mind. With Renato Samuel filling in the pitcher role for the day, the Bulldogs were immediately caught off guard. The usual catcher was poised on the mound as he iced the titleholders in the first two innings, stopping them from tallying a run.
In the bottom innings, La Salle enjoyed a blistering start to the game. At the first, Team Captain Agon De Vera batted in an RBI single, allowing Ezy Bautista to run home after a grounder to the shortstop, 1-0. DLSU followed up another tally to the scoreboard as Liam De Vera batted in his brother to end the first, 2-0.
The Green Batters continued their hot start in the bottom of the second. Bautista and JR Alcontin batted in Barry Oñas and Yuan Sumague, respectively, to double their advantage, 4-0. A familiar combo ended La Salle’s three-run second inning: a hit from A. De Vera that allowed Bautista to run home and extend the Green-and-White’s lead to five, 5-0.
Despite a bright start by La Salle, the Bulldogs started biting back in the fourth inning. The Maulit brothers grabbed runs to start NU’s momentum. The Green Batters were able to stop Nigel Paule with a flyout, but Kenneth Maulit was still able to run home to get NU on the scoreboard, 5-1. A strong Kyle Hardillo hit then opened up Kevin Maulit for another run, 5-2. La Salle was unable to strike back in the bottom inning as they endured three straight flyouts.
The Green-and-White’s suffering continued with a tough outing in the top of the fifth. Oñas was placed as pitcher after two hit-by-pitches that allowed NU to load the bases. However, the Bulldogs unleashed utmost confidence in their hits. Kev. Maulit started NU’s streak, allowing brother Ken. Maulit to run home, 5-3. A Gorpido hit later brought Herald Tenorio home to let the defending champions inch closer to DLSU, 5-4. Back-to-back hits by Paule and Julius Soriano ultimately closed the gap and gave the Bulldogs the lead, 6-5. With the lead snatched from La Salle, A. De Vera stepped up to the mound to pitch for the Green Batters. However, the Bulldogs’ momentum remained too strong as Jherick Timban’s hit brought home pinch runner Bryan Lagumbay, giving NU a two-run advantage, 7-5.
Silver finish
With a gut-wrenching fifth inning, the Green Batters sought to ignite their redemption hopes and retaliate in the bottom of the sixth. Early pitching errors by NU allowed La Salle to load the bases with walks and a hit by A. De Vera. A hit-by-pitch to L. De Vera with the bases loaded gave way for Alcontin to walk home to cut the Bulldogs’ lead, 7-6. However, the substitution of Season 86 Best Pitcher Amiel De Guzman brought the Lasallians’ hopes down as he snatched the third out, despite DLSU’s loaded bases.
Both squads amped up their defense in the seventh inning, ending with no runs allowed. However, in the top of the eighth, the Bulldogs would put the icing on the cake on their victory: a Ken. Maulit hit allowed Timban to run home to cap off their two-run inning, 9-6. Meanwhile, the struggling Lasallians immediately had three outs in the bottom inning.
At the final inning, the Green Batters secured three flyouts at the top to give themselves confidence. Rookies L. De Vera and Miguel Agoncillo hit to get on base, giving La Salle hope to rally back. But the Bulldogs’ defense was solid as a double play after Oñas’ hit marked the end of the game and the Green Batters’ campaign, 9-6.
Despite the heavy loss, DLSU Head Coach Joseph Orillana remains optimistic of the team’s future with a number of rookies in the squad now experienced after their first runner-up finish, “Masasabi ko na magandang experience kasi kalahati sa first nine ko [are] mga rookies. So, ibig sabihin, pagdating ng second year nila masinop na ‘to. Maganda ‘yung flow nung takbo ng team namin hanggang sa mga sumusunod na taon. Kaya itong experience na ‘to ilalagay namin as a motivation to come back stronger.”
(I would say that it is a good experience because half of my first nine are rookies. So, when they come to their second year, they are more prepared. There is a great flow in the team and it will stretch to the coming years. This experience will be used as a motivation to come back stronger.)
He also remains thankful for the DLSU community who never stopped supporting the Green Batters in their journey this season. “Sobrang nagpapasalamat ako sa Lasallian community; all support sila from day one hanggang matapos ‘yung season. Hindi nila kami iniwanan, kaya dinide-dicate namin ‘tong narating namin as a first runner-up sa Lasallian community.”
(I am very thankful to the Lasallian community.; they have been all support from day one until the end of the season. They never left us, that is why we dedicate this milestone as a first runner-up to the Lasallian community.)
The Green Batters endure yet another Finals loss to the NU Bulldogs as they fall short of reclaiming the championship. But with another campaign of lessons behind, the young Green Batters squad set their sights on UAAP Season 88, aiming to bounce back stronger to redeem La Salle’s eighth title.
