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8. From cellar dwellers to champs
Shane Mallens of the Bank of Saipan Red Sox is a picture of joy in their victory against the Natibu Sports Association Braces in the finals of the Saipan Little League Majors division.
(Jon Perez)
The Bank of Saipan Red Sox only needed a year to fine-tune their game to turn their dismal performance last year to a title-winning campaign in the Majors division of the Saipan Little League.
The Randall Aguon-managed Red Sox, after finishing ninth to miss the playoffs last year, completed their notable rise with a 10-4 decision over the top-seeded Natibu Sports Association Braves.
Zack Camacho pitched a one-hit game in 2.2 innings in relief with both runs unearned. He also had five strikeouts and walked two.
Orren Cruz tossed 4.1 innings in start where he held the Braves to one hit with the two runs in the third were both unearned while retiring two and walking two more. He went 2-for-3 and took Vicente Camacho’s third pitch to deep left for a solo shot that made it 5-2 in the top of the fourth.
Reyes had two doubles and scored three times batting 3-for-4, while Pangelinan, 2-for-4, had two runs and an RBI single in a four-run fifth inning by the Red Sox. Kiana Aldan whacked an RBI triple and touched home plate in the first.
Vicente Camacho took the loss after working for 4.2 innings where he gave up six earned runs on seven hits while fanning five and walking one.
The Red Sox, who finished third after the elimination round with a 10-2 record, foiled the Taalabwogh Little Falcons’ title defense bid after a 9-2 win in last week’s semifinals while the Braves crushed the Docomo Ol’Aces, 18-4.
One of the Red Sox’s two losses were against the Falcons, who were aiming for a third straight title after beating the Braves in last year’s finals, 9-2. They won their first crown in 2013 against Team McDonald’s. Their other loss was against the Comets.
