The University of Santo Tomas Golden Sox pulled off a dramatic comeback to upset league-leading National University Bulldogs, 12-10, in their second round matchup of the UAAP Season 87 baseball tournament on Sunday, April 6, at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

With this win, the España-based squad improved to a 3-4 win-loss record and keep their final four hopes alive as they continue to hold down fourth place in the standings.

UST were down 4-10 entering the bottom of the eighth inning but rallied to score eight consecutive runs to reverse the NU-lead.

John Carlo Beronilla sparked the comeback with a two-RBI single that drove in Miguel Geronimo and Timothy Caldo, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to four, 6-10.

The momentum continued to shift as national team standout JR Vargas followed up with a double to the left field to push UST even closer to the Bulldogs.

Caldo then gave the Golden Sox its first lead in the game with an RBI to plate UST reliever Jesus Cabigao and Justine Rosales, 12-10.

The Golden Sox ultimately fended off the Bulldogs in the top of the ninth.

Rosales provided UST with much needed defensive plays, throwing out NU’s Herald Tenorio followed by a tag on Gio Gorpido at the third base to deal the Jhocson-based squad their first loss of the season by the top of the ninth inning.

NU’s starting pitcher Kenneth Maulit kept the Golden Sox quiet through the first five innings until Mark John Cabase broke the silence with a single, followed by a two-run homer from Rosales. The UST sluggers kept the rally going, plating two more runs to cap a four-run explosion in the sixth inning.

“Our hard work paid off pero 'yung hard prayer talaga kaya kami sinuwerte… kaya never give up until the last bat, until the last batter is out. 'Yan talaga ang prinsipyo na aming sinusunod,” said long-time UST head coach Jeff Santiago.

Cabigao, who came in the second inning for UST starter Cedrick Marquez, limited the NU sluggers to only five runs, while also striking out seven batters along the way.

“'Yung relief job ni Jesus [Cabigao] naging maganda. Maganda 'yung pinukol niya at na-hold niya. Kasi si Marquez, 'yung ating first pitcher, bata pa kaya kinakabahan. Hindi pa siya nakakapag-pitch ng kanyang normal na speed," Santiago said.

The Golden Sox is set to square off against the Adamson University Soaring Falcons on Wednesday, April 9, in the same venue.