Jones sits down 21 in Yankees rout of Fielders

Southpaw pitcher Joshua Jones tallied 21 strikeouts to power the Northern Yankees to a 15-1 demolition of the IT&E Fielders during last Wednesday’s game in the 2012 Saipan Major League Baseball at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

Jones gave up just two hits and a walk through nine innings and his 21 total was just one short of tying SML’s record. He was gifted with an early 2-0 lead off the Fielders’ jitters on the mound and the Yanks went on to pull ahead, 4-0, in the third inning off an error and a sacrifice fly by Chris Camacho. Jones tallied his seven punchout to end the bottom frame.

Fielders’ pitcher Elton Santos settled down on the mound and kept his team within range through the middle innings, but they were able to muster only one run in the bottom of the sixth after Eldred Sanchez hit a triple and later scored off a passed ball.

Then the Yankees went ahead, 6-0, in the top half of the eighth. Robert Bansil reached on a base hit and came in on a wild pitch and Chris Meyers picked up the signal and squeezed home Camacho.

Jones stepped up in the clutch once again and struck out the side in the bottom frame, while his teammates scored eight more runs in the top of the ninth inning. Fielders’ Ben Santos was called to the mound at the start of the ninth and got his first man, but then gave up two passes before the Yankees bashed six hits. Dave Camacho belted a two-RBI triple, Bansil hit an RBI double, Camacho made an RBI single, Gary Cruz grounded in a run, and Ben Jones busted a two-RBI double.

Camacho went 1-for-2 with two RBIs, two runs, and two bases on balls, while Ben Jones batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs, and a base on balls.

Meanwhile, the Ol’Aces began their 2012 campaign with a big win over the Masters last Monday night.

The Masters started off well and managed to work around leadoff man Franklin Muna for first blood in the match, but the Ol’Aces obliged with a run in the bottom of the first from speedster Jesus Iguel, who hammered a double before being driven in by Nokki Saralu.

The Masters’ came up empty to start the second and the Ol’Aces pulled on a seven-run string in the bottom frame off five hits. Tyrone Omar bagged an RBI single, Juan Maratita Jr. ripped an RBI double, Ben Taisacan grounded in a run, and Mike Iguel delivered an RBI base smash. the Masters responded with just one run from a sacrifice fly by Smith Regis.

The Ol’Aces then trotted away, 12-2, as the Masters endured some ball handling issues out on field. Masters’ Paul Camacho came in to relieve starting pitcher Ed Santos and close the third inning.

Ol’Aces’ pitcher Juan Iguel was locked in cruise control, but handed the ball over to Maratita with one out in the fifth inning to face his old man, Juan Maratita Sr.

Maratita Sr. was issued a walk even though he stared at strike four, but his pride and joy had little trouble securing the close and ended the match five batters later. The O’l Aces added a run in the fifth and five in the sixth before clocking out early.

Maratita Jr. batted 3-for-4 with two RBIs, four runs, and a base on balls, while Jesus Iguel scored four times and Saralu came home three times.

Winning pitcher Juan Iguel gave up two earned runs off six hits and three walks with five strikeouts in five and one-third innings.

The season continues tonight with the IT&E Fielders taking on the defending champion St. Michael’s Medical Response Angels (1-0) at 6:30pm.