Ateneo batters snare Hong Kong Open crown

MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Blue Batters wiped out a five-run deficit to steal a 7-6 victory over Hong Kong Red and clinch the title in the Hong Kong International Baseball Open at Sai Tso Wan Baseball Field recently.

Dino Altomonte, who was later adjudged Most Valuable Player, drove in four RBIs on a 2-for-4 batting clip while Renzo Ramos (2-for-3) sent in one runner and reached the plate twice to lead the Ateneans to the triumph.

From a 1-6 deficit, the Blue Batters unloaded two runs in the sixth inning and four more in the seventh to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Hong Kong Red, made up of national team mainstays, pushed Ateneo to the wall as they exploded with four runs in the top first. AdMU put one on the board in the bottom second but Hong Kong widened the gap to 6-1 after scoring two more in the fifth.

The Blue Batters, though, would mount a fierce fightback en route to regaining the crown they previously owned in 2014.

Altomonte blasted a single to bring home Gino Tantuico and Ramos and cut the deficit to 3-6 in the sixth.

Ateneo loaded the bases at the start of the next frame to set the stage for their game-changing four-run explosion.