ADAMSON outlasted defending champion Ateneo, 4-3, on Wednesday to strengthen its chance of making it to the gold medal play in the UAAP baseball tournament at the Rizal Memorial ballpark.
The top two squads after the two-round eliminations battle in a best-of-three title series.
Adamson’s sixth victory in eight games catapulted the Falcons to second place behind La Salle Green Archers (7-1), while Ateneo dropped to third at 5-3.
To beat the Eagles twice in-a-row this season, the Falcons had to maximize their three-pitcher rotation starting with Erwin Bosito, Lester Carandang and ace Jerome Yenson, matching the seven-hit performance of Paulo Macasaet, who manned the mound without relief for Ateneo.
Yenson, who took over the mound from Carandang at the top of the fourth, singled in shortstop Bryan Castillo in the seventh for the win.
Castillo tagged Macasaet with a base-hit and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Bosito.
Catcher John Maigue had tied the game in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to center sending home Bosito, who had taken first on a fielding error before stealing second and third.
The Eagles got ahead 3-0 early on three hits highlighted by solo home runs by shortstop Roque Andaya and designated hitter Christopher Hilario.
Meanwhile, the Archers peppered University of the Philippines (1-7) with 13 hits en route to a 10-4 rout, while National University ripped University of Sto. Tomas, 15-5, for only its second victory in eight outings. The Tigers skidded to 3-5.