UMUSAD ang defending champion Ateneo sa pagangkin sa back-to-back title matapos gibain ang University of Santo Tomas sa limang innings, 15-3, nitong Huwenes sa Game 1 ng best-of-three UAAP Season 82 Juniors Baseball Finals sa Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Target ng Blue Eaglets na tapusin ang serye at makamit ang ikalawang sunod na titulo sa Game 2 ngayon.
Sinimulan ng Ateneo ang dominasyon sa six-run second inning sa four walks, three errors at three hits kung saan nagawang makabuo nina Emilio Perez, Kean Agcaoili, Gabby Mendoza, Ezekiel Laygo, Marcel Guzman, at Matt San Juan para sa 7-2 bentahe.
“What we are teaching the kids now is that a walk is always better than a hit kasi kapag nai-walk ka, ibig sabihin maganda kang tumingin ng bola. That’s the most important thing, if you are patient on looking at those balls, the tendency ay lalabas yung palo,” pahayag ni Ateneo baseball program director Randy Dizer.
Sinundan ng Blue Eaglets ang ratsada sa three-run third inning via hits mula kina Dax Fabella, Laygo, at San Juan tungo sa 10-2 kalamangan.
Tuluyang tinapos ng Ateneo ang Jr. Golden Sox sa fourth inning tampok ang five runs nina Carlos Dela Rosa, Perez, Agcaoili, Guzman, at Fabella, 15-2.
“The kids are ready for UST come Game two and I told them na we have to get it on Saturday para wala nang problema and now with this win, UST has to beat us twice,” ayion kay Dizer.