THE UST Golden Sox averted a meltdown in the last three innings to hold down the UP Fighting Maroons, 15-8, in their UAAP Season 86 baseball opener at the UP Diliman Baseball Field on Sunday, Feb. 25.
After going scoreless in the first five and a half innings, 12-0, the Fighting Maroons gained momentum in the bottom sixth after three Golden Sox wild pitches and UP’s Razhley Santos’ homer off of Daniel Badrina’s run-batted-in (RBI) single, 12-4.
UST team captain Steven Dominguez grounded an RBI single to score Golden Sox Timothy Caldo, 13-4, but UP added four more runs in the seventh and eighth innings to trim the gap, 13-8.
Golden Sox rookie Jaywill Badrina ripped a line drive to center field in the bottom ninth, plating fellow rookie Mark Cabase before the former capitalized on a fielding error to score his own, 15-8.
With one out left in the bottom ninth, UST’s left-fielder Mhigeil Cerda caught Fighting Maroon Aaron Nicha’s flyout, sealing the victory for the Golden Sox.
Starting pitcher Harry Geronimo dominated on the mound, pitching in the five innings where UP went scoreless, while striking out five batters. UST’s relief pitcher Jesus Cabigao and closer John Barsales anchored the defense in the remaining innings.
UST started hot early, scoring five runs in the top of the second inning, courtesy of Cerda, Cabigao, Caldo, Rafael Regalado and John Vargas, 5-0.
The Golden Sox went scoreless in the next two innings until Dominguez, reigning MVP Justine Rosales and Geronimo reached home base in the top of the fifth inning, 8-0.
Catching and fielding errors in the top sixth sent Caldo, Vargas, Rosales and Geronimo home, extending UST’s lead to 12-0.
UST head coach Jeffrey Santiago said he willed the Golden Sox on defense in the bottom innings to prevent the breakdown the team suffered in their Season 85 opener against Adamson University last year.
“‘Yung mga bottom innings na ‘yan medyo lumalamig sila. Parang sa laban nila sa Adamson last year,” Santiago told the Varsitarian. “Kaya sinasabi ko sa kanila na hindi Adamson part two ito. Sabi ko, i-refresh ninyo ‘yung tactic ninyo, i-refresh ‘yung utak ninyo.”
The Golden Sox will next face the DLSU Green Batters at the same venue on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 3 p.m.
