Saipan all-stars top Majors, Juniors

Saipan Little League’s Major and Junior All-Star swept the 2012 CNMI Little League District Tournament and advanced to the Asia-Pacific Regional Championship after the conclusion of yesterday’s championship matches at the Oleai Sports Complex.

The Saipan Major All-Stars defeated Tinian, 9-0, with a big eight-run push in the third inning at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield, while the Saipan Juniors All-Stars laid to rest Rota, 15-1, in their championship game at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The Major All-Stars are made up of Kier Agda, Ryan Aguon, John Atalig, Ethan Babauta, Erik Cruz, Austin Hocog, Benen Iguel, Jay Kalen, Matt Kapileo, Aurel Mendiola, Brandon Pua, Joaquin Saralu, Virgil Secharmidal, and Nathaniel Torres.

Manager Antonio Camacho, head coach Kent Kalen, and assistant coach Pete Tomokane front the squad.

The Majors’ ASPAC tourney will be held from July 1 to July 8 in Taichung, Taipei.

The Saipan Junior All-Stars, meanwhile, include Jonathan Camacho, Jerald Cabrera, Kelvin Deleon Guerrero, Terson Eina, Darion Jones, James Kintaro, Mike Muna, Nathan Camacho, Jhace Palacios, Virolanson Secharmedal, Roke Tenorio, Kainao Wanket, and Kenji Yamagata.

Manager Bernard Cabrera, head coach Randall Aguon, and assistant coach Henry Lizama head the squad.

The Juniors’ ASPAC tourney will be held from June 30 to July 6 in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.

MAJORS

Coming into Wednesday’s finals, the Saipan Majors romped Tinian, 20-3, in Tuesday’s round-robin opener and then shut out Rota, 24-0, later that same day to advance to the finals as the first place team.

In yesterday’s championship game, Saipan’s Iguel broke the ice in the second inning when he scored off a fielder’s choice and the rest of the gashed Tinian with eight runs in the next frame.

A walk, an early error, and a fielder’s choice set the stage for a two-RBI triple by Agda who wound up scoring off an error during the play.

Secharmidal doubled home Aguon shortly after and two other runs came to the dish as the result of some weary pitching with the bases loaded.

Tinian played well despite the rough outing in the third inning and went on to keep a lid on Saipan through the remainder of the contest. However, the group never got things going at the plate against Saipan’s Cruz who only dealt a two-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts.

The day earlier, Tinian responded to Saipan’s three runs in the opening frame with three runs in the bottom of the inning off a three-run homerun by John Cruz that brought in two runs.

It would be their only offensive production of the game, however, as Saipan shrugged it off and went ahead, 6-3, in the second inning with a lot of patience at the plate.

Tinian hurler William Cing Jr. issued three leadoff walks, which all came in to score off a passed ball an error and an RBI single by Ethan Babauta.

Saipan was just getting started and went on to added four more runs in the third inning off an early error and a two-RBI triple by Babauta. He also scored soon after off a passed ball.

Tinian’s bats cooled off after the early success and left three runners in scoring position in the next three frames.

Saipan delivered the knockout blow with 10 runs in the fourth inning off 10 hits.

Aguon bagged an RBI single, Secharmidal a two-RBI base rip, Babauta smashed another RBI triple before being sacrificed home by Iguel, while Kapileo and Secharmidal both notched RBI base knocks.

Babauta batted 3-for-3 with four RBIs, two runs, and a stolen base.

Rota held Saipan scoreless in the first inning of the second match, but they amassed a daunting 11-0 lead in the second inning off eight hits.

Agda belted a two-RBI smash, Babauta bagged an RBI single, and was doubled home by Iguel, while Hocog and Saralu finished the frame with a pair of RBI base pokes.

Saipan then piled on another 10 runs off seven hits in the next frame.

Babauta bashed another RBI single, Hocog cranked a two-RBI double and Agda jacked a three-run shot that scored Kapileo and Hocog. Secharmidal and Cruz capped it all off with two more RBI base hits.

Saipan’s Hocog finished his third scoreless inning on the hump and his teammates added four more runs for good measure in the fourth frame before handing it over to his closer Atalig.

Notably both players coincidentally lifted a pair of solo shots in the top half of the fourth inning.

JUNIORS

In yesterday’s finals, the Saipan Junior All-Stars broke out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning off a two-RBI base rip by Nathan Camacho and a two-RBI double by Muna.

The team moved around another four runs in the second inning off a two-RBI single by Eina, a double by Nathan Camacho, and a sacrifice fly by Guerrero.

Rota cashed in its lone-run in the bottom frame from a base hit by Keanu Barcinas, but Saipan never had a doubt.

Saipan responded with two runs in the third inning off a triple by Secharmidal and a sacrifice fly by Palacios, and then added five more in the fourth off an error, two fielder’s choices, and three hits to secure the run-rule victory. Kintaro delivered a two-RBI base rip, while Yamagata and Palacios bagged RBI singles.

In Tuesday’s opener, Saipan pounced on Rota, 17-2, and its second match against its rival was called off due to lightning later that same evening. Saipan was winning, 10-1, in the second inning prior to the stoppage.

Going back to the opener, visiting Saipan took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning off some early jitters by Rota’s infield before jumping ahead, 8-0, in the top of the second off five hits.

Darion Jones led off with a triple and scored off a passed ball, Eina singled in Deleon Guerrero before being escorted home by Palacios, while Tenorio busted a two-RBI base rip before scoring himself off a wild pitch.

Rota managed a couple of runs off wild pitches in the bottom frame, but only advanced one runner into scoring position in the remaining innings.

After a quiet third frame, Saipan pulled out a six-run string in the fourth to move ahead, 14-2, off four hits, including an RBI double by Tenorio and a two-RBI single by Eina; Muna also stole home in the inning.

They went on to add three more runs in the fifth inning before closing up early.

Tenorio batted 2-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs.

Prior to the wash out, Saipan’s Palacios broke the ice with an RBI single in the first inning and the team gashed Rota for nine runs in the second inning off six hits before the game was called off with two outs and runners at second and third base.

Jones hammered a three-run inside-the-park homer, while Tenorio, Jonathan Camacho and Yamagata all bashed two-RBI singles in the onslaught. The game was initially planned to resume the following morning at 10am, but the teams decided to move on to the championship match.

Results of the Senior and Big League divisions will be published in tomorrow’s issue of the Saipan Tribune.