UP ends back-to-back skid with revenge triumph over Ateneo

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 Baseball Standings

NU    6-1
DLSU    5-2
AdU    3-4
UP    3-4
UST    3-4
Ateneo    1-6

Games on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium, starting at 7am

AdU vs UST
UP vs NU*
DLSU vs Ateneo*
*Law of immediate succession

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines secured a crucial comeback victory in the UAAP Season 87 Baseball Tournament, defeating first-round tormentor Ateneo de Manila University, 11-7, Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.

After suffering two disappointing losses to Adamson University and De La Salle University, the Fighting Maroons needed this win to improve their record to 3-4, placing them in a tie for third with Adamson and UST in the tight race for the Final Four.

The victory was fueled by a pivotal second inning, where the Fighting Maroons capitalized on the Blue Eagles' defensive mistakes and delivered timely hits, building a comfortable lead by the fourth inning.

Aaron Nicha drove in the tying run at 2-all, with LM Basañes scoring off his single to the left side. VJ Mangahas then extended the lead to three, 5-2, with a powerful hit to the middle of the field, bringing in Ian Mercado and Eman Javier. Nicha added another run on a passed ball that sent Razhley Santos home.

Santos was eventually retired with a fly ball caught by Juan Carlos Dela Rosa, but the damage was done as UP went on to score five more runs in the next two innings.

"Breaks of the game 'yon, nangyayari't nangyayari talaga; ang importante is ma-overcome nila 'yon. Do'n mo makikita 'yung team spirit, 'yung team effort. Hopefully, magtuluy-tuloy. Talagang ups and downs ang nangyayari sa team naming eh: may mga injury, may mga games na talagang (kinakapos); pero 'yun nga sana magtuluy-tuloy na ito at mas tumibat sila at sana mas maging smart maglaro," said first-year head coach Iking Jimenez.

("Those are the breaks of the game, it really happens; what's important is that they overcome it. That's where you can see the team spirit, the team effort. Hopefully, this will continue. Our team has really had its ups and downs: there have been injuries, there have been games where we really came up short; but hopefully, this will keep going, they’ll become stronger, and play smarter.)

Ateneo fought to claw back into the game, scoring in the next three innings and putting pressure on UP's pitcher, Kobe Torres, forcing him to make adjustments that could open up opportunities for the Blue Eagles.

Torres, a fifth-year Physical Education major, struggled briefly, issuing a walk to Matthew San Juan. Two straight hit-by-pitches to Alfonso Tueres and Dela Rosa led to two runs for Ateneo in the fourth inning.

Fortunately for the Fighting Maroons, not only did Torres hold his ground, but their defense also stepped up, retiring the last six batters they faced in the eighth and ninth innings.

For his efforts, Torres secured his second win of the season, going the distance without relief. He allowed the Blue Eagles four earned runs of their seven, surrendering six hits and four hit-by-pitches, while striking out four—his final one coming against Khristian Ferrolino to end the game.

"Sabi ko sa kanila is 'start string, finish strong' and, though, merong mga late inning kami na hindi naka-score, buti na lang may mga innings na maganda 'yung score namin. Kailangan hangga't kaya, score lang ng score, para 'pag dumating sa dulo na hirap na 'yung pitcher, tulad ngayon, may puhunan," added Jimenez, who also coached the De La Salle Zobel high school program.

("I told them, 'Start strong, finish strong,' and although we had some late innings where we didn't score, thankfully there were innings where we had good scores. The key is to keep scoring as much as possible, so when it comes down to the end and the pitcher is struggling, like now, we have a cushion.")

Ateneo dropped to a 1-6 record, putting them on the brink of elimination from Final Four contention despite a gallant performance from rookie pitcher Luis Atendido.

The freshman from PAREF Southridge School was also on a no-relief assignment, holding the Fighting Maroons scoreless from the fifth through the eighth innings after allowing 11 runs—six of them earned—in the first four.