LEFT alone again for the national finals, the Medina-MisOr 16-under senior baseball team didn’t budge as it completed a face-saving exit with Davao Norte in their epic battle for third place in the Little League Mindanao Qualifier concluded in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, over the weekend.
For the third time around, the multi-titled visitors from Tupi, South Cotabato shut down MisOr’s title quest in the 16-under baseball rivalry, hammering out a 15-0 win in the crossover round.
The SouthCot juggernauts of coach Reynaldo Enrile then proceeded to dispose of Maitum, Sarangani, 13-3 inside the seven innings of the last championship game played in the Little League Philippines Series 2024 Regional Tournament for Mindanao teams.
The ego-bruising 15-0 debacle in the semifinals made Medina’s 16-under squad the only title-miss for MisOr in the week-long hostilities as five of its other entries in the 11-under, 12-under, 13-under and 14-under boys baseball as well as its 16-under softball girls from Magsaysay were all crowned champions and booked a ticket (except the developmental 11-under) to the national finals set in Tanauan, Batangas this coming April.
But fighting for the third-placer honor, which no longer had any bearings to the national finals, gave Medina-MisOr and Kapalong-DavNor a chance to produce a dazzling play the spectators considered more nerve-wracking and entertaining than the rest of the championship games.
Played at the rugged field of Casisang Central Integrated School on a drizzly Friday noon, the Paglaum Sports-backed Medina-MisOr hitters waxed hot early, racing to a 7-0 lead as if giving an easy “walk in the park” impression.
But from a huge 3-12 deficit, the One DavNor United athletes charged back mightily as they scored nine runs in a row in the 7th inning to force a 12-all deadlock.
DavNor’s searing rally sent shivers down the spine to Medina’s side as its team manager Emmanuel Pupos tried to motivate his charges saying he would give P500 right away for every run made.
Medina Baseball Club president Ricky Abao also rushed to their quarters asking for the reinforcement of their trusted head coach and consultant from the US, Andy Aguinaldo to help map out the team’s strategy.
Still, it was a standoff, 13-13 in the first add-one overtime until Medina-MisOr managed to produce a run on their last bat in the second add-two extension to finally seal the breathtaking win at 14-13.
“In my entire stay in Malaybalay for the Little League Philippines Series, it was the battle for third place between Medina-MisOr and Kapalong-DavNor that scared us. We’re all tensed and nervous til the end,” shared the ageless Pupos, a former basketball standout in the Cebu League who was just smitten by the baseball bug.
“We’re broken-hearted to miss Batangas. But playing a match like that made us a proud third-placer. Kapalong-DavNor is strong and relentless but our Medina boys were equally determined to hold on,” added coach Esperidion Biado Jr.
Composing the Medina-MisOr team are Kier Angelo Guiritan, Carl Epraim Arriesgado, Jiovani Carl Cagas, Gian Carl Ytang, Prince Salido, Nestor Paul Bayhon, Arnel Owapen Jr, John Ryan Ucat, Prince Lawrence Fabre, Mark Joseph Bacor, Rein Mark Rosil, Gebie Veloz with coaches Biado, Cerilo Oliveros and Justine Cayte Vicente.
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