Michael Justin Zialcita of Batangas Bulls slides at the 3rd base against Denver Largo of Dumaguete in Sunday's game at the Rizal Memorial ballpark. INQUIRER PHOTO/RODEL ROTONI
Batangas Bulls’ Michael Justin Zialcita jumps at the home base against Edmer del Socorro of Dumaguete in Sunday's game at the Rizal Baseball Stadium. INQUIRER PHOTO/RODEL ROTONI
Batangas Bulls’ Michael Justin Zialcita dives at the 3rd base against Denver Largo of Dumaguete in Sunday's game at the Rizal Baseball Stadium. INQUIRER PHOTO/RODEL ROTONI
Bulls derail Unibikers as Batangas zeroes in on title
Eguia, Laurel shine
By Marc Anthony Reyes Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 04:19:00 07/21/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Vladimyr Eguia pitched flawlessly for six innings and Matt Laurel slammed a three-run home run as Batangas stopped Dumaguete, 10-3, Sunday and moved within a win of claiming the Baseball Philippines Series 3 championship at the Rizal Memorial ballpark.
The 20-year-old Eguia, the ace hurler from the University of the Philippines, proved untouchable for the Unibikers, who came into the game riding a five-game winning streak capped by back-to-back victories that ousted elimination topnotcher Manila the other day.
“I told them that if we don’t commit errors, we will win,” said Batangas team manager Randy Dizer. “But if it’s not for Vlady’s superb pitching, this won’t be possible.”
The Bulls will try to win the title in Saturday’s Game 2 to complete a Cinderella finish.
“I was very confident to take him out after we scored seven runs,” added Dizer of Eguia, who did not allow a man on base and left after Batangas broke the game wide open with a seven-run explosion in the lower sixth.
Laurel, a former International Little League Association of Manila (ILLAM) standout, smashed reliever Ramil Placides’ first pitch to center field, driving home Jose Jose and Edwin Mercado to highlight the scoring splurge that gave Batangas an 8-0 lead.
“They (Bulls) delivered, and the crucial inning was the sixth,” said Dizer.
Placides took over from Dumaguete starter Darwin dela Calzada, who was charged with the loss after giving up five hits and three earned runs that Batangas turned into a 5-0 lead early in the sixth inning.
The performance by the three-time UAAP best pitcher Dela Calzada was a sharp contrast to his masterful handling of the Sharks in the 3-2 win that eliminated Manila the other day.
Dumaguete, which overcame a similar twice-to-beat incentive by Taguig to reach the semifinals, finally scored two runs in the seventh when Eguia yielded the pitching job to Randy de Leon.
The US-trained Justin Zialcita doubled home Virgilio Roxas as the Bulls broke the ice in the fourth inning. Roxas then ignited the seven-run splurge with a single that scored leadoff hitter Teddy Landicho.
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