By Jean Malanum
MANILA – De La Salle University moved closer to regaining the UAAP baseball crown after a stunning 2-1 win over back-to-back champion National University in Game 1 of the Finals Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.
It was La Salle’s first win this season over NU, which dominated the double-round elimination, 14–4 and 10–5. The Bulldogs also swept the Green Batters in the last two Finals series.
Liam de Vera anchored a defensive stand that kept their rivals scoreless through eight innings.
“What we needed was to solidify the defense. Then our pitcher, Liam, was at his peak where he really wanted to get it, so we trusted the players. All we (told him) was to help him with the ball and execute the plays that we needed them to make,” explained La Salle head coach Joseph Orillana.
The Green Batters capitalized early. Marco Tantuico delivered a key hit that brought De Vera home for the game’s opening run.
De Vera had reached base on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring.
La Salle doubled its lead in the third inning behind consecutive hits. Barry Oñas sparked the rally with a leadoff single to right field, before De Vera drove him in with an RBI double to left-center.
De Vera capped a dominant two-way performance, tallying one hit, one run, and one RBI on offense while throwing a complete game on the mound. He allowed just four hits and one unearned run while striking out seven batters to stifle NU’s comeback attempts.
The Taft-based squad now stands just one win away from reclaiming the title it last held in Season 85.
Orillana expects his players to keep their intensity level heading into Game 2 on Friday at 8 a.m. at the same Malate venue.
“The difference is that they are really determined. What we said is, we brought you to the Finals. We did our part, so do you. What we are waiting for here is how determined you are to win Game 1, and then we will figure out Game 2,” he said.
“Just trust your teammates, just trust your coaches; it’s really just a team effort,” Orillana added.
The Bulldogs tried a late rally in the final three innings and finally broke through in the eighth, capitalizing on shortstop Ezy Bautista’s error.
What should have been a routine play at third – an attempt to catch Jherick Timban advancing – turned costly, as Bautista’s throw sailed past Tantuico, allowing Timban to trim the deficit to one.
The Bulldogs managed just four hits overall against de Vera.
On the other side, national team standout Amiel de Guzman also went the distance, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out five in a complete-game effort. (PNA)
