Enforcers vs Falcons for Senior League title

An Enforcers batter gets ready to swing during their playoff game against the Blue Jays in the Senior League division of the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball early this month at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Enforcers kept its 3-2 playoff victory over the Blue Jays in the Senior League division of the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball to earn the right to challenge pennant champion Falcons in tomorrow’s winner-take-all finale at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The Enforcers and Blue Jays battled for the second finals seat last May 13 with the former pulling off the close win. However, the Blue Jays indicated in the score sheet that they were protesting the match due to technicalities (an Enforcer player was not in complete uniform in the fifth inning). Saipan Little League Baseball, through consultation with the CNMI District administrator James Ada, then threw out the protest as the Blue Jays did not submit it in writing within 24 hours after the match and no letter was forwarded to SLLB president Angel Murig.

Dennis Cabrera made the winning hit for the Enforcers as his single drove Leo Salalila home at the bottom of the seventh and last inning. Cabrera also recorded the run that tied the game in the fifth inning after the Enforcers went scoreless in the first four frames to fall behind, 0-2. Cabrera reached home off an error from Blue Jays catcher Andres Camacho, while Salalila gave the Enforcers their first run as he scored off a booboo from shortstop Austin Benavente.

The Blue Jays, on the other hand, got their first run from Dai Podziewski, who moved to first to third off the Enforcers miscues and then stole home at the top of the second inning. The second baseman also handed the Blue Jays their second run in the fourth inning as he tripled and made it home off the Enforcers error at second base.

The Blue Jays were then held scoreless in the last three innings, missing a good chance to regain the lead in the sixth as Enforcers relief pitcher Pedro Maratita struck out two batters and Podziewski was stranded at third when Benavente went down on a 6-3 putout play.

A quick 1-2-3 inning charged on the Blue Jays off another Maratita’s strikeout, flyout and 1-3 putout play kept the score tied, going into the bottom of the seventh. Salalila led off for the Enforcers in the last inning and he singled and stole second before being brought home by Cabrera’s single to hand their team a finals berth.

In tomorrow’s finals, the defending champions Falcons, who entered the title game outright for topping the regular season, are slightly favored against the Enforcers. The Falcons won last year’s finals against the Comets, 3-0.

Meanwhile, the Falcons will also play in the Junior League championship match this weekend. The Falcons advanced to the finals after downing the Comets, who eventually moved into the title game following a victory over the Braves.

In the Majors division, the semifinal round will take place this Saturday with the pennant champions Falcons battling the Little Leagues and the Braves dueling the Comets. The finals will be held this Sunday.