Lizama single lifts Freedom Air to win

Catcher Al Lizama hit a one-run single at the bottom of the seventh inning to help Freedom Air escape Legislature, 4-3, in the men’s division game in the 2008 Inter Government/Business Softball League at the Capital Hill Ballfield.

The win was Freedom Air’s eighth in nine games putting the team in solo second place behind the league-leading and defending champion Department of Community and Cultural Affairs (9-0).

Legislature dropped to a 6-4 mark.

The Lawmakers had control of the game after the first two innings, but lost the driver’s seat when Freedom Air’s defense shut out the former in the last five innings.

Both teams struggled at-bat with Freedom Air failing to score in the first three innings.

Legislature had two runs in the first inning and one in the second to take a 3-0 lead.

Freedom Air broke into the scoreboard on pitcher Roque Camacho’s one-run double. It tied the game at the bottom of the fifth with second baseman Ken Villagomez making a double and driving Shane Yamada home, and Lizama connecting on a one-run single.

Neither team scored in the sixth inning and Legislature’s misfortunes continued at the top of the last inning when Camacho struck out two Legislature batters and extra hitter Rox Kani was beaten to first.

At the bottom of the seventh, shortstop Reno Celis led off for Freedom Air, singled, and later advanced to second on Shane Yamada’s sacrifice fly.

Legislature pitcher Perry Besong struck out Villagomez for the second out.

Lizama batted fourth and made the game-winning hit bringing Celis home.

MEN’S CUC 9, DLNR 8

Commonwealth Utilities Corp. withstood Department of Land and Natural Resources’ late rally to pull off a 9-8 victory.

CUC improved to a 3-7 record, while DLNR absorbed its fifth loss in 10 games.

CUC shut out DLNR in the first six innings for a 9-0 lead, but DLNR made a comeback at the top of the seventh before falling short.

Three of DLNR’s first four batters scored and after Greg Reyes flied out for the second out, the next five batters reached home plate to threaten CUC, 8-9.

Shortstop Jess Omar was next at-bat, doubled, advanced to second, and later to third on a CUC error.

Centerfielder Jay Camacho, who had a triple in his first trip at-bat, stepped up to the plate anew, hoping to bring Omar home and tie the game. But this time he flied out to leftfield helping CUC preserved the win.

CRM/DEQ 9, Mayor’s Office 4

In the second game, CRM/DEQ downed the Mayor’s Office, 9-4.

DEQ/CRM gained its fifth win in 10 games. Mayor’s Office continued to occupy the bottom half of the team standings with its 1-9 slate.

Elmer Sablan was only 1-for-3 at-bat, but he connected on the lone home run in the game and had four RBIs.

Gus Pangelinan was also 1-for-3 at-bat, but hit a three-run triple at the bottom of the fifth inning.

DEQ/CRM, which led by only two runs, 5-3, after four complete innings, took full control of the game at the bottom of the fifth when it scored four runs.

Mayor’s Office scored only one run in the last two innings foiling their bid for a come-from-behind win.