DLSU weathers Ateneo run to clinch UAAP baseball crown

MANILA, Philippines — The DLSU Green Archers achieve baseball glory after outlasting the Ateneo Blue Eagles in game three of the 81st UAAP baseball finals, 11-9, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Friday.

After falling to the UST Growling Tigers in the finals back in Season 80, the Taft-based squad grinded it out in a do-or-die game that went down to the wire.

La Salle started the game strong, leading Ateneo 6-1 after the first four innings.

But Ateneo swooped down on DLSU in the middle of the game, with Paulo Macasaet and Blue Eagle defense forcing two scoreless innings from DLSU while converting on runs of their own to cut the deficit to one, 5-6, heading into the seventh inning.

With momentum swinging to the Ateneo side, DLSU was once again scoreless at the top of the seventh.

Despite this, the Archers were able to hold their ground to keep their slim lead by clipping Ateneo with a 1-2-3 inning at the bottom of the seventh.

With the title on the line, the Green Archers went into overdrive come the eight inning.

Coupled by bad pitching and errors from the Ateneo side, the green and white were able to score three runs to extend their lead to four, 9-5, at the top of the eighth.

But the Katipunan-based squad wasn't about to let the title fall out of their hands just yet.

The Blue Eagles scored two runs at the bottom of the eighth, prompting a pitcher change from the DLSU side to send Arvin Herrera onto the field.

But Herrera proved too cold for La Salle as Ateneo scored two more to tie things up heading into the ninth inning, 9-9.

With their backs against the wall at the top of the ninth, former UAAP MVP Kiko Gesmundo did wonders for DLSU.

Hitting a two-run home run, Gesmundo was able to put distance between his team and Ateneo, 11-9.

Despite Green Archer Tuwi Park striking out to end the top of the ninth, the two-point lead proved to be enough as Ateneo fizzled out at the bottom of the ninth.

DLSU thus nabbed its first baseball crown since 2016.