Orillana holds key to Cebu  title bid

Joseph Orillana hopes to sustain his superb form on the mound as Cebu guns for the clincher against Manila in Game 2 of Baseball Philippines’ Series 2 title showdown at the Rizal Baseball Stadium today.

Orillana topped fellow national mainstay Charlie Labrador in the series opener won by Cebu, 6-3, Wednesday, yielding just three hits while the Dolphins peppered Labrador with 15 hits in a solid outing that impressed team manager Isaac Bacarisas.

“Joseph pitched really well and our hitters adjusted to Labrador’s pitch, those were the keys,” said Bacarisas, who also steered the men’s softball team to the 24th Southeast Asian Games gold medal in Thailand, in Filipino.

Gametime is at 1 p.m. with the Dolphins going all out to wrap up the best-of-three series.

“We will go for the clincher because if we couldn’t finish them in Game 2, we know it would be harder to beat them in the deciding game,” said Bacarisas.

A decider, if necessary, is set tomorrow.

Bacarisas is expected to go for Orillana, a 27-year-old southpaw from Antipolo City who helped De La Salle win a pair of UAAP titles in 2000 and 2003.

“He’s our first line of defense, he’s the heart and soul of the team,” said Bacarisas of Orillana.

“I focused on bringing the ball in the corners and  that worked for us,” said Orillana.

Cebu’s win was its first over Manila this conference and in their last three meetings since the former lost to the latter in a playoff for third place in the pilot series.

Jerome Bacarisas, a nephew of Isaac Bacarisas, will be the man to watch at the plate after belting three RBIs (runs-batted in) in Game 1 including a two-run double in the three-run eighth inning.

Another hitter to watch is Jolash Ponce, who went an impressive four-of-five at bat including an RBI.

The event is organized by Community Sports Inc. and aired live at DZSR 918 Sports Radio and updated at www.baseballphilippines.com

It is backed by Purefoods TJ Hotdog, Gatorade, Mizuno Sports, Harbour Centre, Industrial Enterprises, Inc., Phil. Transmarine Carriers, and Fort Bonifacio Dev’t. Corp.