FORMER UST Golden Sox John Vargas and Mark Beronilla helped the Philippine men’s national baseball team notch its fifth consecutive championship in the BFA East Asia Baseball Cup, held from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3 at the Clark International Sports Complex in Pampanga.
Vargas was hailed the Best Outfielder of the tournament after posting a .563 batting average (BA) and batting in seven runs batted in (RBI), including a tournament-high two home runs. Beronilla tallied a .438 BA and drove in four RBIs.
“Winning your second championship with the national team and the 5-peat in your country is surreal,” Beronilla told the Varsitarian. “I-imagine mo lang ‘yong pressure namin para manalo. Kaya talagang parang nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib after no’ng last out.”
The Philippine team went unbeaten with a 5-0 win-loss record, scoring a total of 50 runs throughout the tournament, nine of which came from Beronilla and Vargas combined.
“I expected our starting nine, especially Vargas and Beronilla, to hit for average and power because they were doing it on a regular basis in all of our tune-up games against team Singapore and the UAAP Schools, including UST,” team manager Vince Sagisi told the Varsitarian.
“I knew both of them were capable of doing what they did to help us win the championship.”
Vargas tallied the most hits and total bases on the team with nine and 17, respectively, while posting a team-high 1.063 slugging percentage. He also drove in the two crucial runs in the Philippines’s 4-2 victory in the super round against Hong Kong.
Sagisi noted how Vargas broke out as the team’s “hidden gem,” working his way to becoming its starting right fielder and earning a spot in the batting order, eventually becoming the cleanup hitter in the last two games.
“We had a hidden gem of a player who can do anything on the baseball field with his outstanding skill sets of hitting for average and power, stealing bases, and being a very good outfielder with one of the strongest arms on the team,” he said.
Beronilla, a natural first and third baseman, played mostly as a designated hitter with Harper Sy and Clarence Caasalan occupying the first and third bases, respectively.
This change allowed Beronilla to display his hitting ability while maximizing the team’s defensive capabilities, according to Sagisi. The former Golden Sox thrived after batting in the heart of the lineup in the third and fifth holes, recording an impressive 1.089% on-base plus slugging (OPS) and seven base hits.
“Mark was clearly one of our top nine hitters with a combination of hitting for average and power from the left side of the plate,” Sagisi said. “He did an outstanding job of getting base hits and driving in runs to help us win the championship.”
Pitcher Romeo Jasmin Jr. was named the Most Valuable Player, while Clarence Caasalan received the Best Third Baseman and Best Relief Pitcher awards. Mark Manaig and Lord de Vera were named Best Catcher and Best Shortstop, respectively.
Sagisi said that Beronilla and Vargas will be called up for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Baseball Championship. with reports from Bjorn Del B. Deade
