University of the Philippines holds a 2-4 win-loss record in the UAAP Season 87 Baseball Tournament and is making a late push for a Final Four spot after falling short in a playoff against UST last season. Currently outside the top four, UP has four games left to turn its season around.

The Fighting Maroons kicked off their campaign with a commanding 15-6 victory over last season’s finalists, the DLSU Green Batters, on February 26, 2025. With new head coach Iking Jimenez at the helm, they have signaled their intent as serious contenders.

National team member Kobe Torres set the tone early, keeping DLSU scoreless through four innings. Reigning MVP Ian Mercado led the offensive charge, delivering a 3-for-5 performance, while last season’s Rookie of the Year, Aaron Nicha, added two hits to UP’s 16-hit total. Despite some hitters still finding their rhythm, the dominant start signaled a promising campaign ahead for the Maroons.

However, their momentum hit a roadblock in their second game against defending champions National University (NU). Pitcher Ram Matanguihan held his ground for five innings, keeping NU’s hitters in check. But with Mercado and Nicha limited to just one hit each, the Maroons struggled to generate offense. NU capitalized and cruised to a 9-1 victory, reminding UP why they still hold the crown.

Looking to bounce back, UP faced the winless Ateneo Blue Eagles in their third game. Co-captain VJ Mangahas and Nicha tried to spark rallies, while Mercado contributed three hits. Mangahas delivered his best game of the season, going 4-for-5 with an RBI. Late in the game, Matanguihan took over on the mound and held Ateneo scoreless in the final innings. Despite the effort, UP fell short in a tightly contested 5-7 loss.

Determined to turn things around, UP showed resilience in their matchup against Adamson University on March 23, 2025. The Maroons built an eight-run lead heading into the ninth inning, only for Adamson to stage a dramatic comeback, scoring 10 runs to take the lead. The game was halted due to insufficient lighting at the under-renovation Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium and resumed on March 29, 2025. The match stretched into an extra inning, but Adamson capitalized late, securing a 10th-inning victory with a final score of 17-19 in favor of Adamson.

Last season, UP fell just short of the Final Four due to injuries and team cohesion issues. However, team captain Ian Mercado believes chemistry is no longer a problem. “I don’t think issue yung cohesion this season. I think kaya medyo nahihirapan yung team kasi hindi nagsusunod-sunod yung mga hits na kailangan para maka-score or hindi nagsasabay-sabay yung galing ng bawat isa, kaya medyo nahihirapan kami siguro makakuha ng panalo,” he explained.

The frustrating losses exposed a pattern of struggles in closing out games. Mercado emphasized the need to sustain intensity from start to finish. “The team needs to start strong and finish even stronger every game. Medyo nakakampante yung team kahit konti lang yung lead namin sa kalaban, so siguro need lang baguhin yung mindset na hangga’t hindi nakukuha yung huling out ng game, walang titigil at dapat gutom lagi sa panalo.”

Before the resumption of their postponed game against Adamson, UP found a much-needed breakthrough with a 7-2 victory over the UST Golden Sox. Torres delivered a stellar performance on the mound while also contributing two hits at the plate. Nicha recorded his best game of the season so far, tallying three hits and an RBI, while Mercado matched his output to power UP’s offense.

Despite the ups and downs, the Fighting Maroons know their best baseball is still ahead. “The team needs to work as one para mas makuha namin yung panalo. This is a team event, so if mag-work ang bawat isa, magiging maganda ang outcome ng UAAP season na ito,” Mercado shared.

On April 2, 2025, the Fighting Maroons and the DLSU Green Batters faced off once again, but this time, UP couldn’t repeat their previous victory. Torres displayed his national team caliber, excelling both on the mound and at the plate. He pitched six solid innings and hit a two-run home run in the seventh. Despite his efforts, UP’s loss was made even more difficult to swallow by strong two-for-four performances from Mercado and Nicha.The crucial substitution of Matanguihan late in the game also proved costly, as he hit Nonaillada with the game-ending pitch, resulting in a 5–4 win for DLSU over UP.

With the second round of eliminations underway, UP is determined to turn things around and keep their Final Four hopes alive. Catch them in action every Wednesday and Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium!

Round 2 Schedule:

• April 6, 2025 – UP vs. Ateneo (3rd Game)
• April 9, 2025 – UP vs. NU (2nd Game)
• April 13, 2025 – UP vs. AdU  (2nd Game)
• April 23, 2025 – UP vs. UST  (2nd Game)

* The games kick off at 7 a.m.

 

This UP Fighting Maroons Club post is made in partnership with Jiang Nan Hotpot.