Ol’Aces bounces back in Big League

Docomo Pacific Ol’Aces rebounded from last week’s loss to archrival Paradise Island Animal Hospital-Hustlers (7-3) with a couple of fresh wins as the Saipan Little League’s Big Division 2012 season winds down at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The defending champions willed their way to a 6-5 comeback win over the St. Michael’s Medical Response-Hunters (3-7) just after outlasting the IT&E Fielders (5-5), 14-9, Sunday evening to improve its win-loss record to 8-4.

Tuesday’s match was a tough break for the Hunters who were riding high after upsetting the Fielders, 5-4, last Saturday.

The Fielders took a pretty big blow, although they are still a virtual lock for a playoff spot with the Sen. Ralph Torres-Rep. Ramon S. Basa-Frederick P.DL Guerrero- Kagman Lions on a skid after managing only two wins and nine games.

Also on Tuesday, the Marianas Cable Vision-Rep. Ramon S. Basa-Frederick P. DL Guerrero-Kagman Lions let one get away, 6-7, to the DPS Dare Program-Leep-Enforcers in the Senior League.

In the Junior League, Division of Youth Services-Rep. Ramon S. Basa-Frederick P. DL Guerrero-Kagman Lions (0-8) takes on the Natibu Sports Association Falcons (3-4) at the Tan Ko Field today at 4pm followed by the Hustlers against the Lions at 6:30pm.
[B] BIG DIVISION

Ol’Aces 6, Hunters 5[/B]

Hunters established an early 3-0 lead in the first inning off four hits as Jesse Deleon Guerrero and Joseph Palacios bagged RBI singles.

Ol’Aces got one back from an error later in the third and pulled within a run, 2-3, in the top of the fourth inning from an RBI poke by Felipe Litlulumar that scored Jacob Flores.

Ol’Aces pitcher Jake Santos battled hard through the middle innings to keep the door open for his team.

They finally responded in the bottom of the fifth with four runs off five hits.

Leonard Sablan and Lemarc Iguel both hustled out a couple of errors and Harry Nakamura bashed a single to load the bases.

Sablan was driven home by Keoni Lizama and Rocco Reyes followed with a two-RBI base smash.

Reyes was caught in the path, but Jun Rabauliman brought in Lizama before the Hunters could stop the bleeding.

Hunters southpaw Joseph Atalig made it through the top of the sixth unscathed and then made it on and around in the bottom half to help his cause to shave the deficit to 4-6 heading into the last inning.

Hunters’ Palacios came to the mound in the seventh and kept Ol’Aces at bay, but the home team only mustered one run in the final stand.

Winning pitcher Santos gave up just two earned runs in six and a third strong off 11 hits with two strikeouts.

Ol’Aces’ Sablan batted 2-for-3 with two runs, Lizama swung 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run, and a base on balls. Hunters’ Ray Camacho went 3-for-4 with a run.

Ol’Aces pulled in front, 2-1, in the top of the third inning off an RBI single by Harry Nakamura followed with triple by Keoni Lizama.

The Fielders then tapped Nathan Guerrero to the mound to start the fourth inning

And he handled the bottom half of the Ol’Aces’ lineup to get through the frame, but ran into trouble against the top of the order in the fifth inning.

Ol’Aces teed off for seven hits in the fifth inning and shot ahead, 9-1.

Nakamura bashed a two-RBI double, Jacob Flores and Leonard Sablan bagged RBI singles, and Lemarc Iguel a two-RBI base rip.

The Fielders salvaged three runs in the bottom frame off an error, a pair of RBI base hits by Carl Camacho and Marvin Ngeskebei, but were still far from out of the woods.

Ol’Aces moved forward, 11-4, in the top of the sixth off a couple of fielder’s choices and then had to deal with the Fielders’ last-ditch battle cry.

With their backs against the wall the Fielders mustered five runs in the bottom portion off four hits. Guerrero belted a two-RBI single and scored off an error before Ben Lizama and Tenorio both reached and stole the plate.

Ol’Aces took the punch and slapped them back with three runs in the top of the seventh off some errors and a double by Rocco Reyes. The Fielders went limp in the final stand.

Ol’Aces’ Nakamura batted 3-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs, and a stolen base

Hunters’ Joseph Palacios led off with a base hit and scored off a passed ball to break the ice in the second inning.

Then later in the fourth, Hunters’ Eloy Cruz drove home Palacios who led off the inning with a free pass.

The Fielders escaped with the bases loaded, but came up empty for the fifth time in a row at the plate against Hunters’ lefty Palacios.

Hunters’ Joseph Atalig led off the fifth with a double and was brought in by Palmerson Monkeya to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Fielders finally got something going in the top of the sixth and pulled within a run off a trio of hits. Patrick Tenorio led off with a single and was tripled home by Marvin Ngeskebei who ended making it home off a wild throw to third base.

Hunters wanted it bad and wiped away the two runs in the bottom frame with some aggressive base running and held the Fielders to two runs in the final stand.

Winning pitcher Palacios went the distance and gave up three earned runs off six hits, three walks, and a couple of hit batsmen with five strikeouts.

Hunters’ Lincoln Ingram batted 3-for-3 with a run. Fielders’ Tenorio went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run.

Enforcers 7, Lions 6[/B]

A two-RBI base rip by Lions’ Bret Halstead made it 2-1 after the opening frame, but the Enforcers’ Enrique Itibus briefly tied it at deuces in the fourth with a double that scored Sid Nepaial.

The Lions roared back in the bottom half with four runs.

Two one-out walks set up an RBI base knock for Catalina Dela Cruz and Austin Agulto later stole home. Then another run came in off an error and Dave Matagolai bagged an RBI single before the Enforcers could get of dodge.

After a quiet fifth, Enforcers’ Itibus scored Vince Cabrera and Nepaial with a clutch single and relief pitcher Austin Petig did a great job containing the pride through the late innings.

The Enforcers clawed back to tie it in the top of the seventh with an RBI double by Lofton Edward and a sacrifice fly by Cabrera.

Enforcers’ Petig led off the bonus frame with a single and stole the dish for the go-ahead run and hung tough on the mound to secure the win.

He gave up just two hits and a walk in 4 2/3 scoreless innings.

Enforcers’ Itibus batted 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Matt Lisua went 3-for-4 and Edward swung 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run, and a base on balls.