Falcons, Comets win season debuts

A Comets pitcher hurls to a Braves batter during their Junior League division game in the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball last Saturday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Reigning champions Falcons started their title defense in the Junior and Senior League divisions on a winning note, while the Comets also prevailed in their first match in the 2019 Saipan Little League Baseball over the weekend at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The Falcons, who clinched last year’s Senior League championship after a 3-0 victory over the Comets, outclassed the Enforcers, 5-3, in SLLB’s season-opening game last Friday.

After struggling in the first four innings, the Falcons scored two runs apiece in the last two to beat the Enforcers. Actually, both teams were a bit off in their opening match with the Falcons having only one when Arby Yaguel reached home at the bottom of the third off the Enforcers’ error. The Enforcers, earlier at the top of the first, made it to the board off Tyrese Camacho’s RBI single, before going cold in the next four innings.

After five innings, the Falcons went up 3-1, thanks to a sacrifice out from Kobe Lifoifoi and a Henry Aguon run from the Enforcers’ miscue at the bottom of the fifth. However, the Enforcers quickly tied the match anew, 3-all, in the ensuing inning, as Camacho blasted a two-run single at the top of the sixth.

At the bottom of the sixth, the Falcons countered with two runs—Spencer Dickinson’s earned run and Max Pangelinan off a sacrifice out—to regain the lead, which they kept after pitcher Ngel Cabrera struck out the Enforcers’ first three batters at the top of the seventh.

Meanwhile, the Falcons were also victorious in the Junior League after easing past the Enforcers, 16-4, while the Comets topped the Braves 12-6.

The Falcons, who took last year’s division crown after edging the Enforcers, 10-7, won their early rematch last Saturday, thanks their solid hitting in the first four innings.

The defending champions scored four runs in the first and three in the third before collecting nine in the fourth to set up the easy victory. Francisco K. led the Falcons’ surge at the bottom of the fourth with his three-run triple, while Zack Reyes got two RBIs in his two trips at bat in the pivotal inning, and the team recorded two more earned runs.

Aven Evangelista and Joel Norita scored four runs each in the Falcons’ season-debut win and both went 3-for-4 at bat.

In the other Junior League game last Saturday, the Comets pulled off a come-from-behind victory after finding their targets in the fourth and fifth inning and shutting down the Braves in the last four.

The Comets were behind, 1-6, at the bottom of the fourth before moving within 1, 5-6, as Sneak Sumor hit a two-run double and also reached off the Braves’ error. The Comets’ other run came off an RBI walk.

The Comets went on to grab the upper hand at the bottom of the fifth after gaining six more runs. Sab Saures had a two-run double, while Rell Teregeyo knocked in a two-RBI single in that period. Saures was also one of the three pitchers the Comets used in the last four innings to silence the Braves.