Sai Sei upsets Aces, faces GSM Masters in finals

Sai Sei’s Damian Kuich receives the bat from his teammate during their regular season game against the BSI Aces in the 2016 Masters Baseball League last month at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Sai Sei stunned pennant champions BSI Aces in their semis game, 11-7, to march into the finals of the 2016 Masters Baseball League last Friday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.

An 11-run top of the first inning was all the fourth-ranked Sai Sei needed to eliminate the top seeded BSI Aces and set up a title match against the GSM Masters. Sai Sei and the GSM Masters, who earlier grabbed the first finals berth after outclassing the Old Stars in their semis game last Thursday, 29-19, will go for all the marbles tonight at 6:30pm.

Sai Sei caught the BSI Aces’ defense napping at the start of their Final Four duel, as seven of the former’s top of the order reached home and three scored twice. Shortstop Ota Nobuyuki was among the Sai Sei players who made it home twice, but his biggest contribution at the top of the first inning was his three RBIs. He had an RBI single in his first at-bat and a two-run single in his second.

Sai Sei got seven earned runs, three off the BSI Aces’ defensive lapses, and one off a passed ball for the early double-digit lead.

The BSI Aces, who topped the regular season with its 8-2 record, tried, but failed to overhaul the deficit as they scored no more than two runs in each of the first four innings they lit up the board and were held to one in the last three.

An RBI single from Dennis Ngeskebei gave the BSI Aces their seventh run with two outs. That was also the last as fifth batter J.J. Cabrera flied out with Sai Sei pitcher Damian Kuich catching the ball.

In the other semis battle, the GSM Masters saved the best for last, collecting 13 runs at the bottom of the sixth inning to secure the early victory via the 10-run mercy rule.

The GSM Masters’ juggernaut capped their strong finish to rally past the Old Stars, who once led by 9, 13-4, after three complete innings. A seven-run top of the fourth followed by five runs in the fifth moved the GSM within 3, 16-19. The Old Stars were threatened after making only three runs each in the fourth and fifth.

In the sixth inning, all of the GSM Masters top of the order reached home and four scored twice to turn things around for the team and push the Old Stars on the brink of elimination. The Old Stars were eventually booted out after a 1-2-3 inning at the bottom sixth. James Fleming and Ben Tagabuel went down on a double play, while Bernard Cabrera flied out to third base.