ON THE VERGE of collapse, National University transformed pressure into dominance, erupting in the fifth inning to secure their second straight UAAP baseball crown.

The Bulldogs staged a dramatic 9–6 comeback win over De La Salle in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Baseball Finals on Tuesday at Rizal Memorial Stadium, sweeping the series and earning their fifth baseball title.

Down 2–5 in the fourth, NU flipped the game in the fifth inning with a five-run burst. Tuting Samuel hit two batters, loading the bases for NU. Kevin Maulit’s RBI single brought in his brother Kenneth, while Gio Gorpido’s sacrifice fly added another run, shrinking the deficit. NU then seized control and never looked back.

The victory also marked NU’s sixth championship this season, adding to its golds in men’s badminton, women’s basketball, taekwondo kyorugi, beach volleyball, and men’s tennis. The school remains in the hunt for both volleyball titles as defending champs.