White and Blue is the Official Student Publication Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines with editorial office at Rm. 06 Student Center, Saint Louis University

At last, after cutting a decisive triple tie against their long-time rivals, the Saint Louis University batters victoriously grabbed this year’s Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League baseball championship, finally ending their 11-year losing streak. 

The SLU Navs tied off with the Benguet State University Wildcats and BBEAL’s former champions, the Philippine Military Academy Cavaliers, with an equal 2 win-1 loss record at the BSU oval on Jan. 27. Due to BBEAL ruling, the triple tie was broken not via rematch, but through a quotient system which compared the contenders’ scores from previous innings against other opponents. Since the Navs gathered the most points from their earlier wins against BSU, 13-6, and the Cordillera Career Development College, 13-2, last Jan. 20, they gained a solid chance to win the gold. 

Paying the price

Even if the Cavs outplayed the Navs, 4-2, in a tense battle on Jan. 27, it was not enough to retain their crown. They could have easily won if not for their heavy loss over the Wildcats, 10-3, the day before their match-up with SLU. “They underestimated BSU,” said Nav coach Joey Jocson.“They did not use their ace pitcher for the first two innings; it was too late until they found their selves losing.” With PMA’s defeat over BSU, they slid down to third place, just above the eliminated CCDC team. “PMA was great but they were careless. They were weak without their senior pitcher,” explained Nav team captain, Drazen Palaez.

Stealing the Championship

Though PMA had a chance to redeem themselves after a hard loss against BSU, their point deficit was too big. They had to beat SLU with an 8-point advantage. In SLU’s game vs PMA, the Navs took an early beating after the Cavs made consecutive base hits on the second inning, holding an untimely 2-0 disadvantage. “The players (Navs) committed many errors, especially in base running,” Jocson explained with Palaez adding that they were merely pressured. After a third point made by the Cavaliers, Ghlen Henson retaliated – stealing second base, running third base through Johnray Tam’s ran-batted-in, and darting home, making SLU’s first point. Finally, the Navs came to life. Darwin Paycao hit an amazing standing triple in the fourth inning, later sprinting home to the surprise of the Cavs, making the score 3-2. But, the Cav’s offensive proved too strong for the challengers. With the aid of PMA ace pitcher, senior student Glenn Roncal, the Cavs closed the game with a two-point advantage, 4-2.

No Sweat

The Nav batters, who on November 19-21, 2007 conquered other Saint Louis schools in a CICM friendship-meet at Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, similarly trashed CCDC in an ‘effortless’ battle on

Jan. 26, concluding in a 13-2 tally. CCDC lagged with a 0 win- 3 loss record, automatically kicking them out of the top three. Palaez, Paycao, and Tam each hit soaring homeruns during the early innings

against CCDC, leaving the spectators awestruck. “We just concentrated on the ball,” said Paycao.

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