THE UST Golden Sox scored five consecutive runs in the crucial stretch to register their first win of the season at the expense of Adamson University, 12-5, in the UAAP baseball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Stadium last Jan. 19.
The Golden Sox improved to a 1-3 win-loss record after losing their first three games against National University (0-13), De La Salle University (4-14) and Ateneo de Manila University (6-12).
With the game tied at five, UST found its way back at the bottom of the sixth inning after firing five Runs Batted In (RBIs) for a 10-5 advantage.
With just one batter out, Texas recruit Bernardo Siaotong tallied another RBI off a right fielder from Arvin Plaza. Arvin and brother Amber added two more runs in the same frame to keep Adamson at bay.
Max Mercado began the scoring barrage when he completed a run off an error of an Adamson catcher. Siaotong then made a quick centerfield hit that allowed Noriel Valencia to score a run of his own and put UST ahead, 7-5.
Down by an inning, the Golden Sox listed four points in the fifth frame, including back-to-back conversions from the Plaza brothers for a three-point advantage, 5-2.
Adamson retaliated in the following inning as Mark Anthony Kakisako’s right field bat sent Lourence Ruiz and Mark Dave Dela Cruz to the home plate for three RBIs in favor of the Falcons.
They almost recorded another point, but UST catcher John Adrian Pedracio already had the ball in his hands before a Falcon could reach the home base, to cap the sixth frame at five-all.
“We already adjusted our hitting and I hope the winning continues in the second round for us to at least have a slot in the Final Four,” coach Jeffrey Santiago said.
Valencia finished with three RBIs for the Golden Sox, while Mercado, Siaotong and the Plaza brothers registered two each.
