The UST Golden Sox crashed out of the UAAP podium for the third-straight season after the Adamson Soaring Falcons handed them their first second-round loss via the mercy rule, 13-3, to end their Season 85 baseball campaign at the UP Diliman Baseball Field on Saturday.
The Golden Sox ended in fifth place with a 4-6 win-loss record, tied with the National University Bulldogs, which finished fourth. UST lost the season tiebreaker against NU, which was based on runs allowed and given up.
UST gave up a total of 15 runs while scoring a total of 14 runs against NU in their elimination-round matchups.
With the Soaring Falcons leading 12-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Richard Matic’s left-field grounder drove John Matanguihan to home plate, sealing the victory for Adamson.
“We came up short. Nagpadala sila sa pressure. Siguro alam nila na battle for third. Kung anong naumpisahan noong first round, bumalik ngayon. Pero actually, nakita niyo naman na kaya naming talunin ang kalaban namin,” UST head coach Jeffrey Santiago told the Varsitarian.
“Kita mo naman noong start ng inning, maganda na sana. Part of the game. Maganda ang break ng Adamson. Then ‘yung mga pitcher natin bumigay, [and] pag bumigay ang heart and soul, patay na,” he added.
Golden Sox Justine Rosales drilled a solo home run to center field in the top of the first inning, 1-0, before Steven Dominguez capitalized on an Adamson pitching error in the top of the second inning to give UST the lead, 2-1.
Rosales homered again in the top of the fourth inning after Dominguez hit a line drive run-batted-in (RBI) single to left-center field that tied the game at 3-all.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Soaring Falcon Matanguihan scored after Mark Manaig lined a double to right field, giving Adamson a slim one-run lead, 4-3.
Adamson pulled away with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning capped off by Angelo Pelingo’s bunt to first base that scored Kean Matanguihan, 9-3, and never looked back.
Rosales led the offense tallying three of UST’s seven hits on four at-bats.
Adamson’s defense, led by relief pitcher Nerosa, held the Golden Sox scoreless from the fourth to the eighth innings.
The Golden Sox will miss the services of Reden Tapia, John Vargas, Geoffrey Apolinario, Adrian Aguilar and Jayvee Selda, who have exhausted their playing years, and rookie Byran Camarsi, who will be migrating to Canada.
