La Salle Green Batters still spotless as they enter PBL semis

FILE: “Every game should be like a championship to them before the start of the [UAAP] season.” – DLSU Green Batters Head Coach Joseph Orillana (Photo: GoArchers/Facebook)

Current University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Athlete of the Year awardee Kiko Gesmundo had to step out of the game during the first inning after suffering a shoulder injury, with head coach Joseph Orillana delighted the everyone else stepped up.

Coach Joseph shared in Filipino, “I’m happy for the team. I told them, even if Kiko is gone, they need to step up. They can’t just rely on the seniors. This is already theirs.”

One of those players that had an exceptional game was Tuwi Pack, going 3-of-4 with five runs-batted-in (RBI). Anton Acuña and Paolo Cases contributed three RBI and two RBI respectively as well. However, it was infielder Boo Borandiaran and his two batters that Coach Joseph hailed, saying in a mix of English and Filipino, “Hopefully we use him as a pitcher in the UAAP,” referring to the sophomore, then adding, “We just focused him on second base, there are times this season that he’ll be a reliever. We didn’t want to rush him because he came from an injury.”

The day before their match-up against the UP Fighting Maroons, La Salle conquered the Itakura Parts Philippines Corporatin (IPPC) Nationals 11-8 at the same venue. According to Coach Joseph Orillana, what is important is the team’s “winning attitude and confidence – that they get that before the UAAP season,” in his words, saying, “Every game should be like a championship to them before the start of the season.”

The Green Batters are still anticipating who they will be facing off in the semis, as the Adamson Soaring Falcons have to wait for the games on January 26 to see if they are entering the Final Four.