SaiPal’s Bobai leads batters, PTI’s Camacho tops pitchers

Latest individual statistics from the ongoing 2008 Belau Amateur Softball Association Men’s Slow-pitch League show that Leo Bobai of SaipPal emerged as the leader in batting average while pitcher Roque Camacho of PTI reigned supreme on the mound.

Other players who made their mark were Julian Camacho, Ben Aguon (runs scored), Ben Taisacan (doubles, triples), Jerry Ayuyu (homerun), J.J. Laniyo and Kyle Kaipat (RBIs), and Ruben Olkeriil (strikeouts).

As of Sept. 21, Bobai averaged .684 after hitting 13-for-19 at-bat but his team, SaiPal, was struggling in seventh place in the 11-team field league.

Players in the Top 10 had 19 times or more at-bats. Bobai was the only player from his team who joined the fray.

Laniyo, ace pitcher for pacesetting Brotherhood, was running second with .636 batting average, registering 14 hits in 22 times at-bat. Two other Brotherhood sluggers, Ben Tagabuel and Ayuyu, were on the list. Tagabuel’s 15-for-26 (.577) was good for sixth place overall, while Ayuyu’s 10-for-19 (.526) tied Auel Auel’s Mel Aldan as the two shared the ninth to 10th positions.

Thunderson Sokau of PIC piled up the most hits as well as the most number of times at-bat. His effort was good enough for third place with his 24-for-39 clip (.615). Joey Dela Cruz of Man Amigos was fourth with a 12-for-20 performance (.600).

Another Auel Auel qualifier, Lucian George landed at fifth spot by hitting 11-of-19 (.579).

PTI’s Ben Aguon and Tanapag Falcons’ Rodney Lifoifoi were tied with17-of-32 (.531).

Laniyo and Kaipat were co-leaders in most RBIs, both totaling 14. Julian Camacho was in solo third with 11. Taisacan and Roque Camacho tied with 10 while Dela Cruz and Mark Flores knocked in nine each.

The Top 10 pitchers, based on 14 or more innings pitched, are (in order of earned run average) Roque Camacho of PTI (0.90), Eli Rangamar of Brotherhood (2.00), Steve Igisair of Auel Auel (2.67), Lucian George of Auel Auel (2.80), Al Ngiraibuuch of the Tanapag Falcons (3.36), Henry Palacios of Ready Mix (3.43), Mike Sablan of Man Amigos (3.50), Laniyo (4.00), Tony Luzama of PTI (4.00), and Tony Olkeriil of PIC (4.84).

Roque Camacho pitched 31 innings in five games, allowing four runs, 32 hits with four earned runs.

Olkeriil pitched the most number of innings with 68 after 10 games but his ERA of 4.84 had been affected by allowing 88 runs and 143 hits and 47 ERs.

However, Olkeriil led the field in most strikeouts with his total of 14. Henry Palacios and Payton Sakuma knocked down 12 batters, Lucian George struck-out 9, Al Ngirabuuch and Donald Flores (seven) and Laniyo (six).

Olkeriil also joined Julian Camacho and Aguon for most runs scored with their 12, which were just ahead by one over the 11 of Cole Pritchard and Theo Minor.

Dela Cruz and Laniyo came up with 10 while Taisacan and Ayuyu had nine each.

Taisacan is the leader in double plays as well as triple plays with four successes in each front.

Ayuyu is the homerun leader with four. Julian Camacho and Dela Cruz, winner of three homerun derbies this year, are tied with three. Three others—Payton Sakuma, Poland Yamada, and Roque Camacho—homered twice.

Meanwhile, the team standings as of Sept. 21 are as follows: Brotherhood (8-1); PTI (8-2); Ready Mix (7-2); Man Amigos (5-2); Auel Auel (7-3); Choll Aces (5-4); SaiPal (5-4); PIC (5-6); Falcons (3-8); Haga-T (2-9); Ngiwal (1-7); and Bombers (1-10).

Games of the BASA Men’s Slow-pitch League are held every Sunday at the Dandan Ballfield.

However, BASA cancelled their games last Sept. 21 to give way to the Saipan-Cell/Palau Community Association softball fundraiser.

Virtually all the players who participated in the two-day tournament, won for the third time by Mix (formerly No Ka Oi), are playing in the Belau league.