THE UST Golden Sox came out swinging to open the second round of the UAAP Season 87 baseball tournament, earning another dominant victory over the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 11-3, on Wednesday, April 2, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
UST moved to fourth place with a 2-4 record, while Ateneo dropped to 1-5 for sixth place.
Golden Sox pitcher Prince Harry Geronimo anchored his team’s defense, striking out 11 batters to shut off the Blue Eagles’ offensive efforts.
The España-based squad opened the scoring in the first inning with an RBI from Jesus Cabigao. It was followed up with two runs in the next frame sparked by a double from JR Vargas to take a 3-0 lead.
In the fifth inning, the Golden Sox heated up by driving in four more runs behind hits from Vargas, Geronimo and Cedrick Marquez, 7-0. The Blue Eagles then got on the board in the bottom half.
UST continued to control the pace, scoring one run each in the sixth and seventh innings, 9-1. Ateneo responded with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, 9-3.
Ateneo’s Khristian Ferrolino gave up back-to-back hits to Vargas and Cabiga, extending UST’s cushion in the eighth frame, 11-3.
The Blue Eagles tried to hit a late-game comeback in the bottom half, but it was already too late.
The Golden Sox will try to keep their momentum as they take on the Season 86 defending champions NU Bulldogs on Sunday, April 6, at the same venue. F – Rishna Joy Maglinao
