Ateneo, La Salle meet again at UAAP baseball finals

MANILA, Philippines – The batters from Katipunan came into this UAAP baseball season as the favorites.  They emerged in 2014 as back to back champions by pulling the rug under their arch rival De La Salle University.  

Regarded as the better team man for man, the DLSU baseball team was poised to grab the crown in Season 76  but experience and grace under pressure proved to be the winning formula for Ateneo.

Season 77 of the UAAP began in January 2015 and it seemed Ateneo was going to continue its winning ways against DLSU. Ateneo grabbed their first round meeting with a score of 4 runs to one. Buoyed by a late game homerun by Matt Laurel, Ateneo made DLSU look like a team in disarray.

Making matters worse for the green swatters was their surprise loss to erstwhile contenders National University, losing by only a run.

However, as in every Ateneo- La Salle match up, twists and turns make the story more interesting.

Ateneo ended the season with 3 straight loses. Adamson, UP and the avenging DLSU team prevented the champions from emerging as the top team in the elimination round.  DLSU, on the other hand was able to get back its winning form and entered the finals with an 8-2 win-loss slate sweeping all its second round games.

The Taft based team now finds themselves in the same situation they were in 2014. They are now at the top of the standings with Ateneo once again coming into the finals as the underdog.

Last year, Ateneo failed to win over La Salle in the elimination rounds and entered the finals looking at an uphill battle. They however won the more important games and emerged champions.

Consistent pitching and relentless coaching were keys to victory in Season 76. It will not be any different this year.

Ateneo’s pitching rotation is led by Andy Tan who has always been a problem for the green batters.  Emerging as a key player is rookie Paulo Macasaet who struck out 10 DLSU batters enroute to their win in the first round. Gabby Tan, Miguel Dumlao and Nacho Cojuangco rounds out a formidable set of reliable arms.

DLSU recruited two high school standouts in the person of Vicente Barandiaran and Francis Gesmundo from La Salle Greenhills and Marist School respectively. Although rookies, they complemented the already strong list of La Salle pitchers namely Luis Carlos Laurel, Carlos Munoz, Jonathan Park and Sigfrid Tan. Any one of these pitchers is bound to challenge any bat the Ateneans will bring to the plate.

Joseph Orillana, head coach of the DLSU baseball team says that there are two things that are different from his team last year, “One is we have lots of rookies that we know can deliver at the UAAP senior level, most of whom are pitchers and position players. Second, my veteran players from last year are more mature kasi naexperience na nila yung feeling na nasa championship game.” He further adds that the whole team has learned from last year’s mistakes. His boys are eager and smarter as they face Ateneo once again in the finals.

Ateneo Coach Randy Dizer last year relished coming into the finals as the underdog.  He commented that it was good motivation for his boys to know that they had to work extra hard to win.  Ateneo proved that they wanted the championship more last year.  If last year was an indication, then DLSU will have once again to prepare against eagles who have their back against the wall.

If the archers fail this year,  the Ateneo blue batters will boast of a three peat in UAAP baseball.

Game 1 starts at 11 am, Thursday March 5 at Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium. – Rappler.com