Action between NU and UP in the UAAP Season 86 baseball tournament, March 21, 2024 at the UP Diliman Baseball Field. UAAP Media

MANILA -- National University continued its mastery over the University of the Philippines, securing an 8-4 victory for its second consecutive win and fifth overall in the UAAP Season 86 Baseball tournament on Thursday at the latter's home field in Diliman, Quezon City.

The Bulldogs, who rose to a share of the lead at 5-3 with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, sent the Fighting Maroons to a 3-5 win-loss record, placing them in fifth place.

The Bustillos-based squad needed to fight after falling behind early.

"I just told the boys that this is a nine-inning game, so even if we're behind, we keep fighting every inning. That's the mentality of the boys now," said NU head coach Romar Landicho.

NU faced 0-2 and 2-3 deficits in the game before taking charge in the fifth inning. They tied the game under the easiest of circumstances, as a passed ball followed by a throwing error from UP catcher Eman Javier allowed John Kiel Olazo, who had previously hit a base hit, to score freely.

From there, the Bulldogs capitalized on hits from Nigel Paule, Julius Cesar Soriano, and Kenneth Maulit, and took advantage of another miscue—this time from shortstop Aaron Nicha—to gather three more runs for a 6-3 lead.

The Fighting Maroons, playing as the visitors on their home field, managed to score one run in the seventh inning, with captain Ian Mercado crossing the plate off a sacrifice fly to center field from Mark Liwanagan.

However, another fielding error in their defensive side of the same frame handed back the three-point lead to NU at 7-4.

Bulldog Jherick Timban continued the momentum on the mound where MJ Carolino left off, retiring all four batters he faced -- two of them via strikeouts.

Carolino limited UP to six hits and a single earned run after the latter had produced 14 against UST in the previous outing.