CNMI to face PH in Big League finals

The CNMI Big League All-Stars advanced to the championship game of the 2011 Asia-Pacific Big League Regional Tournament after Guam conceded in the first inning of their game yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila, Philippines.

The Commonwealth will face host Philippines in the finals set today at 11am (1pm Saipan time).

Guam already lost its first three games and was out of the running for a finals berth and a rain delay before its non-bearing match against the CNMI forced its hand to just gift-wrap the match to its northern neighbors.

Regardless of the outcome of yesterday’s match against the U.S. territory, the CNMI was going to face the Philippines anyway. It was pure luck then that Mother Nature helped the Commonwealth get a rest day.

The CNMI and the host share identical 3-1 win-loss cards, but the former was awarded home field advantage as a result of tiebreaker rules.

The Commonwealth won the first match, 6-2, on Monday, but fell to the Philippines, 2-3, on Wednesday.

Whichever team prevails in today’s finals will advance to the Big League World Series set from July 27 to Aug. 3 in Easley, South Carolina.

Recent statistics posted on www.littleleague.org.ph show CNMI catcher Eric Tenorio leading CNMI’s offense.

In the first two games, Tenorio swung 3-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs. He has also thrown out three runners thus far in the tournament. Other key notables include second baseman Elijah Aughenbaugh batting 2-for-5 with four RBIs, a run, and a stolen base, left fielder Jeremy Lizama swinging 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and third baseman Nokki Saralu batting 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.

In pitching, Nate Guerrero gave up one earned run in four innings off two hits and three walks with three strikeouts in the CNMI’s 6-1 opening day against Guam.

Joseph Palacios closed the match in three scoreless innings, giving up a pair of hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

CNMI batters scored six runs off 10 hits and an error in the game.

In its 6-2 victory over the Philippines, Joshua Jones gave up two earned runs off three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in five and one-third innings. Dave Jones closed the last five outs of the game, giving up just one walk.

CNMI batters went through five opposing pitchers in its second matchup, scoring six runs off five hits and an error.

Statistics have not yet been released in the CNMI’s 2-3 loss to the Philippines. However, pitch count results show starting pitcher Richard Dela Cruz throwing 91 pitches before Dave Jones came to the rubber and hurled 29 in relief.