Jonathan Salas makes mark in Boise

While most of his former teammates on Saipan are on vacation after playing in the 2008 Asia Pacific Regional Tournament last month, two-time World Series participant Jonathan Salas had a busy schedule this month, suiting up for the Boise Gems and playing in two tournaments.

Salas, who played for the CNMI Junior League team that made it to the World Series twice in Taylor, Michigan, and was once a member of the CNMI Little League All-Stars, is now based in Boise, Idaho and plays centerfielder/infielder for the Gems.

Salas and the Gems competed in the 2008 “AA” American Legion State Tournament, which ran from Aug. 1-5 at the Halliwell Park-Bill Derham Field in Pocatello, Idaho.

In Pocatello, the Gems debuted against the Lewiston Clarkston Twins. Six other teams joined the tournament, namely the Twin Falls Cowboys, Centennial Cannons, Coeur d’ Alene Lumbermen, Jerome Cyclones, Boise Capitals, and the Pocatello Running Rebels.

A week after the tournament in Pocatello, Salas, who is the son of former Saipan Little League baseball president Joe Salas and Cathy, and the Gems moved to Bozeman to participate in a regional tournament.

Before this month’s tournaments, the upcoming senior of Timberline High School and the Gems participated in three other competitions. The first one was the Bozeman tournament, which ran from June 19-22, followed by the Twin Falls Wood Bat Tournament from July 2-6 in Twin Falls, Idaho and a district tournament in Fort Boise from July 22-28.

Salas helped the Gems post an 8-1 record in the Bozeman tournament. The Gems beat Centralia, Greatfalls, Colorado, Albany, Nampa Chiefs, Centennial Cannons, Boise Seminoles, Treasure Valley Stars, and the Caldwell Silver Streaks. They absorbed their lone loss at the hands of Canada, Bozeman, 2-3.

In the tournament in Twin Falls, the Gems also had only one loss in 13 games, bowing to the Seattle CSI, 4-5. The Gems defeated Utah CSI, Twin Falls, Pendleton Lethbridge, Capitals, Barons, Meridian Rangers, Eagle Vipers, Mountain View Toros, Columbia Mudcats, and the Boise Senators.

In the district tournament, the Gems claimed the championship after sweeping all of their four games, including the finals match against the Boise Capital, 10-7. The Gems routed Fort Boise in the opening game, 10-1, then beat TVS in their second assignment, 9-3. The Gems prevailed by only one run, 18-17, against the Capital in the first meeting, before winning by three runs in the finals versus the same team.

After these three tournaments, Salas emerged as the second best hitter of the Gems. He went 46-for-97 at bat for a batting average of .474. Pitcher Sam Richter led the Gems in batting average with .513.

The 17-year-old Salas, who played for the Jets in the Saipan Junior League, had the most triples with six. He also made five doubles, one homer, and 22 bases on ball and had eight stolen bases.

He pitched for the Gems only once and was the winning pitcher. He pitched 9.1 innings, walked eight, struck out four, and gave up only six runs. Salas had a 4.62 ERA.