By Jonas Terrado
University of Santo Tomas dethroned Ateneo 4-3 in a pulsating finish Tuesday morning to capture the UAAP Season 82 juniors baseball crown at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Members of the University of Santo Tomas juniors baseball team point to the championship trophy being hoisted by one of its players after beating Ateneo in Game 3 of their Finals series. (Photo from UAAP)
Pitcher John Regalado struck out Daniel Fabella with runners at second and third in the seventh and final inning as the Junior Golden Sox completed their comeback from an early 2-0 deficit and capture its second title in three years.
Regalado fanned 11 batters in a complete game outing to earn the Finals Most Valuable Player award.
The Junior Golden Sox bounced back from absorbing a 15-3 drubbing by the Blue Eaglets in the best-of-three opener last week by taking a 7-3 win in Game 2 last Saturday.
Coach Jeffrey Santiago’s team also produced three runs in the fifth inning that enabled UST to gain a 4-2 lead.
Ateneo’s Matt San Juan was named season MVP aside from claiming the Best Hitter and Best Slugger honors, but his bid to end his high school career with another championship was denied by UST.
San Juan was also forced to come in relief of lefty starter Zachary Urbina, who left after 3 2/3 inning due to a bleeding nose.
Leadoff man Marcel Guzman scored on a passed ball and San Juan doubled to score Fabella from second to help the Blue Eaglets jump aboard first.
But Brian Daniel Camarsi to send home Jester Tapia from second to narrow UST’s deficit to 2-1 in the third. Tapia earlier made it to third when shortstop Ateneo shortstop Kean Agcaoili made a wild throw from second in an attempt to complete an inning-ending double play.
Camarsi also hit bloop single with no outs allowed Alwyn James Pinero to score the tying run to set up the Junior Golden Sox’s onslaught in the fifth.
Mark Anthony Abella reached safely at first on a bunt following a fielding error to load the bases, Steven Dominguez put UST ahead on a sacrifice fly that scored Tapia from third and a fielding error by Agcaoili enabled Camarsi to make it 4-2.
Ateneo pulled one back in the bottom half of the fifth when Guzman tripled and scored on a passed ball.
The Blue Eaglets were down to their final out after Regalado struck out Agcaoili and De la Rosa, but Laygo reached second on the next at-bat when the ball rolled past shortstop Justine John Rosales.
Laygo later advanced to third on a passed ball while Guzman drew a walk and reached second during Fabella’s at-bat. But Fabella foul tipped Regalado’s pitch into the mitt of catcher Abella for the third strike, triggering celebrations from the UST faithful.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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