A mighty four-hit, four run rampages in the first inning carried Adamson University to an abbreviated seven-inning 14-4 rout of favored La Salle Tuesday opening the two-teams’ best-of-three title series for the UAAP-baseball championship at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
The Falcons’ third baseman Gerald Riparip, pitcher Jerome Yenson, rightfielder Lester Carandang and first baseman Raymond Matic feasted on Archers’ starter Francis Gesmundo with a single each in what came as Adamson’s strongest start this season with all, including lead-off man Erwin Bosito, reaching home.
Notice of what to come was served when the usually reliable Gesmundo yielded first base to Bosito, known for his knack for stealing bases, on four balls, did just that, stole second from where Riparip sent him crossing the plate on a single.
That brought Yenson, who if not presiding over the Falcons’ first line of defense on the mound, is the regular no. 3 batter in coach Orlando Binarao’s murderers’ row, at the batter’s box.
Catcher Mark Manaig sacrificed Riparip to third and Yenson to second where both where both came scampering home on the third base hit surrendered by Gesmundo in the same period.
Gesmundo ended the carnage and prevented Adamson’s nine batters from completing a cycle by fanning out leftfielder Al Jayson Benito, ninth in Adamson’s batting order, but until after Matic singled in Carandang for the Falcons’ fourth run in the frame.
Adamson scored in all four inning that followed – one each in the second and third and four each in the fourth and fifth – on eight of 14 connections off four hurlers La Salle coach Joseph Orellana and his staff fielded.
The Falcons connected off Gesmundo nine times in the 3 and 2/3 innings manning the mound, three off Arvin Herrera on a third of an inning stint and one-off finisher Julio Arrastia.
Riparip batted in three runs on 3-of-5 at the box, Yenson 2 RBIs on 2-of-3 at bat and 1 RBI on a pair of hits, including one three-base hit.
Yenson, a fastball firebrand Binaao recruited for Nueva Ecija, worked for five innings, yielding four hits, striking out four Archers he met, issuing six base-on-balls, hitting one by a pitched ball, while stranding 10 runners on bases before giving way to Carandang, who finished the job.
The Falcons play the Archers anew this Friday, seeking their 12th championship since joining the varsity league in 1952. The Archers, on the other hand, fry to keep their hopes of winning the title they last won two seasons ago.
