January 7, 2019
MANILA, Philippines （January 4, Rappler）– The Filipino baseball player will have a new avenue to showcase his talent. The Philippine Baseball League (PBL) will raise its curtains on Saturday, January 5, at the historic Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium featuring 7 teams – 6 of which are UAAP squads.
The first conference of the league backed by the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) will serve as the prelude to the UAAP Season 81 baseball tournament. "We'll have the 6 UAAP teams. The seventh team will be the IPPC, which will be having the national team players not playing in the UAAP," disclosed PABA secretary-general Pepe Muñoz.
Defending UAAP champions Adamson Soaring Falcons, the La Salle Green Batters, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, the UST Golden Sox, the NU Bulldogs, the UP Fighting Maroons and IPPC have all committed to the month-long league. The PBL gives the country's batters a place to showcase their wares after Baseball Philippines folded 7 years ago while the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) discontinued the Charmain's and Commissioners' Cup two years back.
This time around, the new officers of the PSC have pledged their full support to this new endeavor by PABA.
"We want to give the other players an opportunity to play. The PSC will also be supporting us. This time around the one giving the resources will be PABA," added Muñoz. On opening day, UST will take on UP to open the triple-header followed by the UAAP finals rematch between Adamson and La Salle. Closing out the day will be a matchup between IPPC and NU. Then on Sunday, IPPC opens the day against Adamson. The Battle of Katipunan between UP and Ateneo takes place followed by UST versus La Salle. – Rappler.com
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