(NI JJ TORRES)

HALOS abot-kamay na ng defending champion Ateneo ang back-to-back crowns.

Ito’y matapos paglaruan ang University of Santo Tomas sa five innings, 15-3 nitong Huwebes sa Game One ng best-of-three UAAP Season 82 Juniors Baseball Finals sa Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Kailangan na lang ng Blue Eaglets na manalo sa Sabado para tuluyang angkinin ang ikalawang sunod nitong kampeonato.

Agad ipinaramdam ng Ateneo ang husay nang magpakawala ng

six-run second inning tampok ang four walks, three errors at three hits nang sina Emilio Perez, Kean Agcaoili, Gabby Mendoza, Ezekiel Laygo, Marcel Guzman at Matt San Juan ay maka-home base, 7-2.

“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,” komento ni Ateneo baseball program director Randy Dizer.

Sinundan ito ng Blue Eaglets ng three-run third inning via hits mula kina Dax Fabella, Laygo, and San Juan that brought Agcaoili, Laygo, at Guzman sa home plate, 10-2.

“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,” dagdag ni Dizer.