Little Legals top Bank of Saipan

Little Legals and Bank of Saipan players shake hands after their make-up game in the Majors division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball last Monday at Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Little Legals outclassed Bank of Saipan, 8-3, in a make-up game in the Majors division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball last Monday at Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

G-Boy Pangelinan pitched a complete game and had a no-hitter in the first five innings to power the Little Legals to their eighth win in nine games. He also did well at the plate, going 2-for-3—one single and one double—and scored two runs and one RBI.

Catcher Cardi Borja helped the Little Legals’ cause, too, with his three RBIs, one run, and 3-for-4 performance at bat. Shortstop Gunner Sablan was only 2-for-4, but contributed two runs, while first baseman Benjie Palacios hit 2-for-4 and made one run and one RBI.

Ahead by only two after four complete innings, 3-1, the Little Legals gained more cushion at the top of the fifth after recording three runs. Borja, who earlier in the first inning blasted an RBI double and was walked in his second at bat, registered an RBI single and also reached off a Bank of Saipan error for their 5-1 advantage. Derence Diaz also made it home off their foe’s miscue to make it a 6-1 lead for the Little Legals.

The scores remained at the bottom of the fifth, as Pangelinan struck out Demarlane Santos and forced Kian Hodges to a 1-3 output play, leaving Anthony Cabrera stranded at third. Leadoff batter Wayne Takai flied out at home for the first out, while Cabrera was next at bat, walked, and moved to second and third off passed balls, but was stuck there after Pangelinan got the two outs at the bottom of the fifth.

Then at the top of the sixth, the Little Legals earned two more runs, thanks to Palacios and Borja’s RBI double each. Palacios’ hit brought Pangelinan home, as the latter also doubled in his last at bat. Palacios, who made it to third off a passed ball after his double, also reached, courtesy of Borja’s double. Borja was then left at second base when closer Jesse Stole fanned Reef Camacho for the third out. The Little Legals’ first two batters went down with the Bank of Saipan first baseman Santos catching a line drive from Sablan and then teaming up with second baseman Jake Aguon in a 4-3 putout play on Jose Norita.

With the Bank of Saipan down by 7, 8-1, it must score at least seven runs, too for the match to continue. Bank of Saipan fell short and the Little Legals took the win a few minutes before darkness covered the “Tan Ge” field.

The Little Legals got the two quick outs with Pangelinan striking out Ezra Ada and throwing the ball to Palacios at first baseman for a 1-3 play on Aguon. A single from Jesus Tyquenco kept Bank of Saipan’s hopes alive, as he also reached off the Little Legals’ error at centerfield. Bank of Saipan made it two in a row when Stole scored, too off the Little Legals’ booboo at third. However, that was it for Bank of Saipan, as Pangelinan fanned the next batter—Greg Perez, who was caught looking when the former threw his third pitch.