The UST Golden Sox fended off the Ateneo Blue Eagles in eight innings, 8-4, to tally their second win in the UAAP Season 85 baseball tournament at the UP Diliman Baseball field on Sunday.
Tied at 3-all in the top of the seventh inning, Golden Sox Justine Rosales launched a three-run inside-the-park homer to right-center field that plated Byran Camarsi and Jester Tapia to break the tie and pull away, 6-3.
Team captain Migheil Cerda hit a center-field fly in the bottom eighth that sent Adrian Aguilar and Tapia home to seal the win for UST, 8-4.
UST head coach Jeffrey Santiago said the Golden Sox’s offense and defense clicking was key to their victory.
“Maganda ang pinukol ng pitcher. Ang depensa natin maganda. Tsaka ‘yung hitting natin, tumatama,” Santiago told the Varsitarian.
Blue Eagle Pablo Capati lined a double to right field that sent Javi Limpo to home plate, before Capati scored off a throwing error by UST, putting the game at 3-all.
In the bottom of the first inning, Camarsi and Rosales reached home base after Golden Sox Jayvee Selda drove a run-batted-in (RBI) triple into right field, 2-0.
Ahead by one in the bottom of the second inning, 2-1, Cerda scored off Selda’s second RBI, 3-1.
Golden Sox Junel Cruz recorded seven putouts, while Cerda and Camarsi tallied five apiece to anchor UST’s defense.
UST had four hits and five errors, while Ateneo had five and six.
The Golden Sox entered a three-way tie with Ateneo and the National University in fourth place with a 2-5 win-loss record.
UST will next face the De La Salle University Green Batters on Tuesday, April 4, 7:30 a.m., at the same venue. With reports from Valere Jane R. Callorena
