MANILA, Philippines - Ram Casey Alipio and MJ Gante put on yet another inspiring performance as National University dispatched defending champion University of Santo Tomas, 7-2, to clinch the last finals berth in the UAAP baseball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Alipio had three hits - all of them doubles - including one that gave them the first run in the contest in the second inning.
Gante, on the other hand, was impressive in a no-relief appearance on the mound as the Bulldogs earned the right to face Ateneo in a best-of-three title series starting on Thursday.
It was a huge win for NU which bounced back from a 4-2 loss in 10 innings at the start of their Final Four duel.
''Nagkaroon kami ng timely hits at naging malaking tulong para sa amin yun,'' said coach Saki Bacarisas, who will try to give NU its first title since winning back-to-back in 1967.
The 20-year old Alipio put the Sampaloc-based batters on the board in the second frame when he slapped a line drive down the left field line to score second base runner Aries Oruga.
But the big inning that the Bulldogs got came in the fifth when they scored six runs. Catcher Alfredo Olivares, a member of the National team, hit an Irvin Tuazon pitch into centerfield, scoring two runners and Aprix John Santos followed it up with an RBI single.
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