Former Ateneo ace pitcher Miguel Salud helps
Cal Lutheran to US NCAA Div 3 championship
by rick olivares
Former Ateneo baseball pitcher Miguel Salud, who after
leading the Blue Eagles to its first UAAP baseball championship in 2013 left to
study and play for Cal Lutheran University in the United States, has once more
turned the trick.
The 22-year old pitcher, coming in the seventh inning of
Game Three of the NCAA Division 3 Baseball Championship against Washington and
Jefferson College of Pennsylvania, protected a 3-2 lead and shut down the
Presidents for a 7-2 win and the school’s first ever baseball title at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin.
The CLU Kingsmen won Game One, 12-2, but the W&J
Presidents came back with a 12-4 victory of their own to forge a Game Three. With
the series at sudden death, Slimak called on freshman pitcher Scott Roberts to
pitch on two day’s rest. Said Slimak, “Roberts was our guy but we’re gonna go
to Miggy (Salud) late, more early. And it all worked out.”
Salud also earned his 14th save of the season
to set a school record and was named Most Outstanding Player after he posted a
1.23 ERA (earned run average) with three saves, nine strikeouts and just one
earned run in four appearances and 7.1 innings.
Said Salud of pitching in Game 3, “It was huge that I was
able to rest (in Game 2 despite the loss) but it was a minor setback for a
major comeback.”
Of his impact with CLU, Salud said, "From the
beginning, I didn't think I was going to be the closer; the first guy out of
the pen. When I was asked to be a closer, I just stuck to my approach and
picked my spots. Every time I come out, all I can see is my catcher. I just said, never let anyone get on base and don't rattle
myself."
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