IT&E still unbeaten in Major division

An IT&E batter lets go of a low ball during an earlier game in the Major division of the 2014 Saipan Little League Baseball at the Miguel ?Tan Ge? Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

IT&E kept its immaculate record in the Major division of the 2014 Saipan Little League Baseball League after defeating the Red Sox, 11-8, last Sunday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

The win was the third in a row for IT&E, which is now in the solo lead in the 15-team field. The Red Sox absorbed their first loss after winning their opener against the Jets late last month.

IT&E outhit the Red Sox in the first four innings and held strong in the last two to save the three-run victory. After a so-so offense in the first two innings that saw IT&E score only two runs, the division leader racked up six runs in the third to open an 8-2 advantage. IT&E got four runs off Red Sox errors and Kyle Kapileo and Josh Camacho’s RBI singles. The first two runs were courtesy of Spencer Dickinson’s RBI single and a sacrifice fly.

Dickinson was IT&E’s starting pitcher and though he gave up two earned runs and three hits in 4.4 innings pitched, he struck out eight to give his team enough cushion. The Red Sox got the two runs in the third inning off Kiana Aldan’s single and with Dickinson on the bench for Kapileo, the former notched four more runs in the fifth to move within three, 6-9. The Red Sox had three earned runs and one off an error at the bottom of the fifth, while IT&E bagged one off Philip Kapileo’s RBI double at the top.

Wary of Red Sox’s comeback bid, IT&E nailed two more runs at the top of the sixth to gain some distance, 11-6. Kapileo blasted an RBI double and he also made it home off Philip Kapileo’s single.

The Red Sox answered with two runs at the bottom of the last inning with only one out to stay in contention, but Kyle Kapileo got the needed two outs to secure the win for IT&E, as he struck out Zachary Camacho and Kevin Foreman, leaving a runner stranded at second.

Comets II 12, Jets 2
In other results in last weekend’s Major division game, Comets II needed only four innings to bring down the Jets and take its first win of the season.

Comets II (1-1) earned the victory via the 10-run mercy rule after hitting its target in the last two innings. The eventual winners, who scored only two runs in the first two innings off a wild pitch and a stolen base, collected six runs in the third and four in the fourth. Ric Teregeyo hit a two-run triple in the third and also made it off a Jets miscue, while the three runs were courtesy of passed balls and booboos from catcher Froilan Camacho. The four other runs were recorded off two wild pitches and two errors at the top of the fourth.

At the bottom of the fourth, the Jets (0-2) finally scored off Camacho’s two-run homer, but that was not enough to help his team extend the game, as Comets II got two quick outs and after starting pitcher Alvin Hocog walked fifth batter James Salalila, sixth batter Jon Paul Sablan was beaten to first for the third out.

Before giving up a homer in the fourth inning, Hocog allowed only one hit and struck out six runners.