Bulls-Sharks title clash on

MANILA, Philippines - The Batangas Bulls and the Manila Sharks start their title clash in today’s Baseball Philippines Series 5 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Both squads finished with the two best records in the classification round before squeaking past their respective semifinal opponents to arrange a best-of-three championship duel.

Despite sweeping the 10-game classifications, the Bulls got the scare of their lives before surviving the upset-minded Cebu Dolphins while the Sharks had to endure a 14-inning marathon to defeat the Alabang Tigers.

Batangas won twice over Manila in their head-to-head series that saw them charging back from a 4-0 deficit to grab a stunning 7-5 comeback win last May 17 in Marikina City.

At that time, both squads had their national team players but with the league handing them an indefinite suspension, the matchups will be different this time around.

The Bulls will rely heavily on the pitching duo of Vladimir Eguia and Romeo Jasmin while the offense will be boosted by infielder Jojo Apura.

Manila, meanwhile, will be led by veterans Romy Bumagat, Edito Justo and young pitchers Joseph Albindo, JB Castro and Mick Natividad.

Both teams, though, won’t be having their team managers around as Batangas’ Randy Dizer and Manila’s Jhoel Palanog are in Jakarta, Indonesia coaching their respective RP squads in the Asia Pacific regional tournament.