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GSM joins Falcons on top
GSM’s Jerome Delos Santos, right, prepares to run toward home plate, while Outlaws third baseman T.J. Dela Cruz looks on during their game in the 2018 Saipan Baseball League last Wednesday night at the Francisco M. Palacios Ballfield. (Jon Perez)
Jerome Delos Santos, Keoni Kapileo, and Lorenzo Sebaklim combined for five of GSM’s 10 hits in a quick 20-4 win over the Outlaws in the 2018 Saipan Baseball League last Wednesday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” M. Palacios Ballfield.
It was GSM’s second win in as many games, as it shares the early lead with idle Falcons, while the Outlaws absorbed its second lopsided loss after the 13-2 crushing it received from the Blue Jays last week.
Delos Santos had a pair of singles and scored two RBIs and three runs before being walked twice each in the fourth and fifth innings, while Kapileo, batting behind the former, went 2-for-2 with a two-RBI single and two runs. Sebaklim had an RBI triple in the second to bring in Franco Nakamura, who singled and moved to second on a passed ball charge to the Outlaws’ Joel Naputi. Sebaklim also walked twice and was hit by a Manny Salas pitch in the fifth inning in his four plate appearances.
The Outlaws batted only 6-for-23 against the GSM pitching duo of Tony Flores and L.J. Sebaklim and also committing eight errors, three of which allowed GSM to score.
T.J. Dela Cruz was the lone bright spot for the Outlaws, as he went 2-for-3 with one run and made a two-RBI single, with one out, at the bottom of the fifth. He advanced to second base on a Vince Cepeda throwing error and moved closer to home plate when Flores walked Edward Cepeda. Dela Cruz, however, was out at home on an Olympio Muna fielder’s choice after GSM shortstop Lorenzo Sebaklim made a timely throw to catcher Pat Alepuyo.
Leading 12-2, after four complete innings, GSM pressed on in the fifth with a leadoff walk by Keoni Kaipat and later scored on an Outlaws error. GSM went on to register eight runs in that inning and the game ended early via the 10-run rule.
Tony Flores pitched four plus innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. He gave up consecutive singles to Verlance Secharmidal and Justin Mizutani before striking out Salas. Dela Cruz then singled, but was out at home, while Flores walked Edward Cepeda. L.J. Sebaklim then replaced Flores with Muna at bat and the former had an easy time on the mound. The closer got the third out when he forced Jose Kapileo to ground out to first baseman Byron Kaipat after a fielder’s choice by Muna.
