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UNIVERSITY of the Philippines standout Vladimir Eguia
pitched a no-hitter as Batangas defeated Dumaguete,
10-3, Sunday in Game One of the best-of-three Baseball
Philippines Series III championship at the Rizal
Memorial Ballpark.
The 19-year-old lefty retired all but
one of Dumaguete’s batters he faced in six innings.
The Bulls moved one win away from
joining the Makati Mariners and the Cebu Dolphins as
title holders in the young league.
Only Kelly Culubong reached base for
Dumaguete because of a walk in the second inning as
Eguia, the Season 68 University Athletic Association of
the Philippines (UAAP) Most Valuable Player, put out the
next 13 batters before being relieved after the sixth by
Randy de Leon.
“Sinunod ko lang iyong catcher ko para
sa location ng pitch. Bumato ako ng curveballs at tsaka
iyong pamatay ko na fastball outside,” said Eguia, a
senior Physical Education major, who also led the
Fighting Maroons to the Season 68 title over University
of Santo Tomas (UST).
National player Virgilio Roxas had two
RBIs (runs-batted-in), including one of the seven runs
in the sixth that also saw a three-run blast by Matt
Laurel ripped the game wide open for the Bulls. The
bulls only had one error besides scattering eight hits.
“My focus is on defense. We only had a
few errors and with the way Vladi pitched, malaking
bagay para sa amin. We were able to score seven runs, I
was already confident so I took my pitcher out,” said
Batangas manager Randy Dizer.
The Bulls will go for the sweep on
Saturday. If necessary, Game Three will be played
Sunday.
Fatigue may have caught up on the
Unibikers, who played their third-consecutive week,
including Saturday when they upset top-seeded Manila,
3-2, to get into the championship round.
RP hurler Darwin de la Calzada allowed
five runs and five hits in five-and-one-third innings.
He pitched a complete game Saturday for the Unibikers.
“I think the whole team is tired,
including de la Calzada,” said Dizer.
In the bottom fourth, Carlo Baunzon’s
infield single, a passed ball and a throwing error by
catcher Edmer del Socorro sent him to third base with
one out. A sacrifice fly by Roxas then drilled Bauzon
home for a 1-0 lead.
The Bulls had four consecutive RBIs on
singles, which Roxas started scoring Randy de Leon, who
reached first on a catching error by center fielder
Andro Cuyugan and stretched to second on a fielders’
choice.
Justin Zialcita, John Apura and Junifer
Piñero singled home a runner each, before Laurel smashed
relief pitcher Ramil Placides’s 0-1 curveball pitch to
the center field seats for a three-run homer.
The Unibikers broke their silence in the
seventh frame with two runs. Cuyugan scored on a passed
ball in the ninth but it was a little too late as hurler
Jay Laurel retired three of the next batters.
Reuben Terrado |
