RESILIENCY is key.
Season 69 champions UST Golden Sox lit up the charts early on before thwarting Rizal Technological University’s (RTU) forays down the stretch to sweep the two-game finals series of the 2007 Philippine Amateur Baseball Association Youth Baseball tournament via a 6-4 Game 2 victory last June 9 at the Rizal Memorial Ballpark.
“I know the capacity of my players so I was confident that they will finish strong despite RTU’s run toward the end,” coach Jeffrey Santiago told the Varsitarian. “Winning Game 1 boosted the morale of the players coming into this game.”
UST center-fielder Alden Lozada orchestrated the Golden Sox’ fourth inning scoring binge as he scored from third base off a Jake Cumlat single.
In the ensuing play, UST hurler Jon-Jon Robles rushed to third base before crossing the plate on fourth batter Haruta Estanislao’s sacrifice fly.
Korean rookie Song Chung Wang then knocked a run-batted-in double that launched a Cumlat homer, to give UST a four-point cushion at 6-2.
But the RTU batters got the better of Robles, who relieved starting pitcher Julius Gerona, as they completed two runs at the bottom of the sixth to close in at 6-4.
Eventually making-up for his miscues, Robles, the 2006 UAAP Most Valuable Player, then fastened the defensive noose on RTU’s last six batters in a remarkable display of shutout pitching that carried UST to another title this year.
Prior to Robles’ endgame streak, the Golden Sox drew first blood on Loreto Manalo’s run on top of the third inning.
Later in the fourth inning, Cumlat reached home on a three-bagger by teammate Estanislao, who then stole the plate via a third-base lead off, giving UST a 3-0 margin.
RTU, however, kept its finals bid alive, completing two runs at the bottom of the fifth courtesy of pitcher Joey Sta. Maria, who retired three UST batters to stay abreast with the Golden Sox at 3-2.
Pounce from the back
Banking on four runs in the eighth inning, UST delivered a come-from-behind 9-6 victory last June 2 to claim Game 1 of their best-of-three finals date with RTU.
UST rose from a 2-6 deficit in the fifth inning after scoring four runs at the bottom of the eighth, including a home run by Estanislao off Sta. Maria’s wild pitch.
The Golden Sox then nailed three more runs courtesy of Jerby Diego, Israel Ona and Ace Baquiran, to seal the deal.
Robles won the pitching duel over Sta. Maria as he struck out 16 batters and yielded only one run and three hits after relieving starters Song and Filipino-Japanese Miki Saito in the fourth inning.
