Rivals Ateneo, La Salle start quest for baseball diadem

MANILA, Philippines – Reigning champion Ateneo and De La Salle open their best-of-three UAAP Season 77 baseball championship series on Thursday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.      

First pitch is at 11 a.m., as the Blue Eagles and the Green Batters cross paths in the Finals for the second straight year.   

Ateneo stumbled late in the elimination round after a 7-0 start, tying La Salle in first place at 7-3.      

One of those losses by the Eagles came from the hands of the Green Batters, a 12-14 decision last week.       

While Ateneo has a slew of power sluggers led by former MVP Matt Laurel, La Salle boasts of talented pitchers with Carly Laurel spearheading the squad.      

The Eagles are eyeing for their third consecutive crown while the Green Batters, who won four titles, are eyeing to end a 13-year championship drought.       

"Mas natuto na sila sa mga pagkakamali nila. Nakakuha na sila ng experience," said La Salle coach Joseph Orillana, referring to its Finals loss last season.       

In softball action on Wednesday, defending champion Adamson University destroyed Ateneo, 18-0, to move within two wins of clinching an outright Finals berth.         

The Lady Falcons, who improved to 10-0, extended their remarkable winning run to 58 games.     

In other games, National University nipped La Salle, 6-5, to move up to third place with a 6-5 card, while University of Santo Tomas edged University of the Philippines, 3-2, to tie its victims in fourth spot at 5-5.