Ateneo nine overwhelms Batangas, ties for lead

MANILA, Philippines — Ateneo needed only seven innings to overpower Batangas State University, 20-6, even as Throwbacks and National University also prevailed Sunday in the PSC Commissioners’ Cup at Rizal Memorial Baseball Park.

The back-to-back UAAP champion Eagles wrapped up their third straight win under the 10-run mercy rule by storming to a 14-3 lead after the first three innings and adding six more in the next three frames to tie idle Rizal Technological University and Philippine Air Force for the lead.

Throwbacks downed La Salle, 7-2, behind a no-hitter by Jose Laurel, while National University blasted the young Pacific Online squad, 6-3.

Made up of former UAAP batters, Throwbacks improved its record to 2-1 while the Bulldogs, who placed second in last year’s PSC Chairman’s Classic, notched their second straight win after a 0-2 start.

Composed of under-16 players from the International Little League Association of Manila, Pacific Online absorbed its first loss in two games while the Archers fell to 0-2.

The Eagles struck hardest in the second inning with seven runs highlighted by Luis Puno’s three-run triple that chased BSU pitcher Norvin Macayanan. Ateneo added five more runs in the third against BSU reliever Jayvee Valles.