THE UST Golden Sox have tapped a two-time UAAP juniors’ baseball Best Pitcher to boost their chances of ending their eight-year title drought in Season 82.
Hailing from Sarangani, Michael Cabang will be playing a big role for the Golden Sox, the most decorated team in baseball with 24 titles but have yet to win the championship since 2011.
The 19-year-old Cabang registered a 2.22 earned runs average (ERA) in six games for the UST high school squad in Season 81, enough for him to earn back-to-back UAAP Best Pitcher awards.
Coming from a family of gymnasts, Cabang always seemed destined for sports.
Baseball was not his first love, having played a variety of sports first before finding his current niche.
He discovered the sport through his friends and started playing when he was in fifth grade at Malalag Elementary School in Maitum, Sarangani.
He was scouted by one of the members of the Philippine Sports Commission before being introduced to national baseball team head coach Jeffrey Santiago, who also mentors the seniors’ and juniors’ baseball squads of UST.
Santiago commended Cabang’s potential to be a dominant pitcher in the years to come, the same reason he recruited him. He added Cabang would play a vital role in the senior’s division next season.
“Importante siya (Cabang) next season para makapasok kami sa finals. Isa siya sa key players lalo na sa pitching. Malaking tulong sa bullpen namin.,” the 57-year-old mentor told the Varsitarian.
In Season 80, aside from the Best Pitcher award, Cabang also emerged as a mythical nine member and the Finals Most Valuable Player en route to the Junior Golden Sox’s first ever championship in the league.
He also took home several Best Pitcher awards in the 2016 and 2017 provincial meets in Sarangani and the 2017 Angels Baseball League, where he had a 1.24 ERA and a league-best 23 strikeouts.
But despite a decorated high school career, he still hopes to step up his game in the collegiate division.
“Maraming pressure kasi maraming kalaban para sa spot sa lineup. Challenge sa akin na marami kaming pitcher kasi kapag wala sila, hindi ako lalakas, hindi ko malalaman kung nag-i-improve ba ako,” Cabang said.
The lefty also said he still needs to improve his endurance and the velocity of his pitch to keep up with the play in the collegiate league.
Cabang added that moving to the seniors’ team would not be a big adjustment since both teams run the same system and are both handled by Santiago.
Cabang has currently three pitches in his bag – fastball, two-seamer and slider, but he is planning to add a fourth pitch in his arsenal.
He said Santiago, also a former UST pitcher who holds the league record for most strikeouts in a game with 24, is a big help to him with their dominant hands alike.
“Mabilis kami magkaintindihan kasi pareho kami ng dominant hand, kaliwete rin si coach Jeff, kaya kapag tinuturuan niya ako, mas master niya,” Cabang said.
Aside from pitcher, the flexible slugger could also play first base.
Cabang was also being eyed by three UAAP schools, but chose UST instead because of its reputation of pushing young athletes to pursue both academic and athletic excellence.
Although leaving his family behind to pursue his baseball career in Manila was one of the hardest decisions he made, Cabang is glad he can contribute to his dream school.
