Aughenbaugh dominates Senior League

The Jets’ Eli Aughenbaugh is this season’s batting champion in the Senior League division of the 2009 Saipan Little League Baseball, besting 14 other sluggers.

Aughenbaugh posted a batting average of .519 after going 27-for-52 at the plate in the regular season. He also ruled three other categories, making him the player with the most individual awards in the Senior League.

Aughenbaugh led the league in runs with 24, home runs with four, and RBIs with 23.

The Fielders’ Nokki Saralu and Peter Tenorio were tied in the doubles category, tallying seven apiece, while Aughenbaugh’s teammate, Joshua Jones, had the most triples with six.

Placing runner-up to Aughenbaugh in the batting race was Fielders catcher Juan Maratita, who went 26-for-52 for a .500 batting average.

Rounding out the Top 10 were the D-9ers’ Eric Tenorio (.481), Fielders’ Tony Aguon (.450), Ol’Aces’ Mike Iguel (.447), Fielders’ Tenorio (.444), Lion King’s Richard Dela Cruz (.438), Fielders’ Tom Agulto (.431), Jets’ Jones (.421), and D-9ers’ Matt Sablan (.405.).

Completing the Top 15 were Saralu (.380), Jets’ Justin Kintol (.368), Fielders’ Jonathan Celis (.360), Jets’ Harry Nakamura (.340), and D-9ers’ Dave Jones (.340).

Batting leaders were based on 38 or more times at bat.

The ERA champion was also from the Jets with Joe Palacios beating 11 other pitchers.

Palacios had a 0.95 ERA in 22 innings pitched.

In second place was the Fielders’ Agulto (1.05), followed by the Jets’ Jones (1.14), Fielders’ Nathan Guerrero (1.88), D-9ers’ Tenorio (2.10), Saralu (2.17), D-9ers’ Dave Jones (2.72), Ol’Aces’ Anthony Guerrero (3.00), Jets’ Harry Nakamura (3.69), D-9ers’ Clyde Sablan (3.79), Maratita (4.13), and Ol’Aces’ Michael Manas (4.50).

Saralu claimed his second individual award after having the most strikeouts with 45. He and the Jets’ Joshua Jones had a close fight, as the latter tallied 44 strikeouts. Nakamura had 42, Dave Jones made 34, and Lion King’ Dominic Chargualaf logged 31 to complete the Top 5.

Making it to the Top 10 were Lion King’s Dela Cruz (30), Ol’Aces’ Guerrero (28), the Jets’ Palacios (27), the Ol’Aces’ Mike Iguel (22), and the D-9ers’ Sablan (18).

Fielders ruled this year’s Senior League after shutting out Lion King in the finals, 10-0.

Fielders won over D-9ers in the semifinals, 6-1, while Lion King prevailed over the Jets in a controversial forfeited semis match. The Jets lost on a violation on rules for uniforms.