Falcons defend Senior League title

The Falcons’ Spencer Dickinson gets ready to pitch to the Enforcers during the top of the sixth inning of their title game in the Senior League division of the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball last Saturday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Falcons kept the Senior League crown following a 4-3 victory over the Enforcers in their title match in the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball last Saturday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The Falcons shut down the Enforcers in the last four innings of the finale behind the one-hitter of closer Spencer Dickenson, while starting pitcher Jester Kintaro scored the go-ahead run to gain their back-to-back division championships. The Falcons, who are also the 2017 season’s pennant winner, won last year’s title after downing the Comets, 3-0.

Kintaro made the run that gave the Falcons the shaky lead at the bottom of the fourth inning. He was the third batter on the Falcons’ top of the lineup and walked and stole second base before moving to third off a wild pitch with one out and runners on first and second. With the bases loaded, Noel Cabrera was next at bat and was hit a by a pitch from Tyrese Camacho, allowing Kintaro to walk home and break the 3-all deadlock.

The Falcons went on to keep the precarious lead as Dickinson took over the mound from Kintaro, starting in the fifth inning. The Senior League rookie got back-to-back strikeouts for a good start and the Enforcers were forced to a quick 1-2-3 at the top of the fifth as Kavika Fernandez flied out to centerfield.

The Falcons avoided a 1-2-3 at the bottom of the fifth inning, but were done after only four batters, as Camacho fanned Tindin Deleon Guerrero, leaving Ace Evangelista stranded at third. The Enforcers got the first two outs when Camacho threw to first baseman Larson Sibetang and Jode Reyes caught a fly from Dickenson.

With the Enforcers denying the Falcons from scoring in the fifth inning, the 2015 division champions remained in contention with two frames to go. However, after leadoff batter Leo Salalila singled, he was later beaten to third, while Dickenson struck out the next two Enforcers batters to move the Falcons closer to the title win.

The Falcons had a chance to put more pressure on the Enforcers at the bottom of the sixth inning when Kintaro reached third based with two outs. However, he was stuck there when Cabrera’s fly was caught by Shakobe Rangamar.

With the Falcons failing to score, the Enforcers had one final chance to tie the game or even take the lead at the top of the seventh inning. However, Dickinson’s strikeout on leadoff batter Jose Camacho seemed to be a bad sign for the Enforcers. Pedro Maratita was next at bat and advanced to second off a fielding error from Falcons second baseman Kobe Lifoifoi. The Falcons then recovered from that error in the ensuing play when Evangelista caught Reyes’ fly to left field.

With two outs, the pressure mounted for the Enforcers and batter Brandon Delos Reyes was put in the spotlight. Dickinson’s first two pitches caught Delos Reyes looking, moving the Falcons one strike away from clinching the crown. However, Delos Reyes got a breather when Dickinson’s next hurl was way low. For his fourth pitch, Dickinson was on target, while Delos Reyes swung and missed, giving the Falcons the back-to-back championships.

The Falcons began the title game by scoring two runs at the bottom of the first inning off Dickinson’s RBI single and a run from the Enforcers’ error at shortstop. The Falcons then countered with two runs and knotted the count at the top of the second inning from Reyes’ RBI single and Camacho’s run off Kintaro’s wild pitch.

Kintaro made up for his booboo at the bottom of the second as he reached home off the Enforcers’ miscue at third base, while the eventual runners-up forced the last deadlock at the top of the third when Dennis Cabrera stole home.