National University’s Kent Altarejos prepares to hit the ball during the game against Adamson University in the UAAP Season 87 baseball tournament Wednesday (February 26, 2025) at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila. The Bulldogs won, 7-4. (UAAP photo)
Defending champions National University (NU) kicked off their UAAP Season 87 baseball campaign with a hard-fought 7-4 victory over Adamson University on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate.
Sophomore catcher Charles Chua played the hero in the eighth inning, driving a single to center field that sent Julius Cesar Soriano home to break a tense 4-all deadlock against Adamson’s relief pitcher, John Matanguihan.
NU didn’t stop there. In the final inning, Gio Gorpido and Kent Altarejos delivered key plays to seal the win for the Bulldogs.
“I have to credit Adamson—they gave us a tough time. They studied our hitters well, which made us struggle a bit. But the boys were able to adjust in the last inning, and that’s how we got the win,” said NU head coach Romar Landicho, who is also part of the men’s national team coaching staff.
Gorpido spearheaded NU’s offense, going 3-for-4 at the plate, while Soriano contributed two hits, both leading to RBIs.
Starting pitcher Amiel de Guzman was solid on the mound, allowing just four hits over seven and two-thirds innings while striking out seven batters. Gorpido took over in the final frame, giving up just one hit while anchoring NU’s defense.
For Adamson, Lawrence Mercado provided a spark with two hits in four at-bats, driving in two runs. Starting pitcher Rommel Bacalla held his ground for eight innings, conceding seven hits before NU broke the game open in the ninth.
NU looks to carry its momentum into its next matchup against the University of the Philippines on March 2, while Adamson aims to bounce back against the University of Santo Tomas on Sunday.
