CNMI Junior All-Stars rout China

A CNMI Senior League All-Star Team pitcher throws to home during their game against Guam yesterday in the 2018 Asia Pacific Asia Pacific-Middle East Regional Tournament at the Global Villages, Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, Philippines. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI Junior All-Star Team recovered quickly from their opening game loss in the 2018 Asia Pacific Asia Pacific-Middle East Regional Tournament after clobbering China, 11-1, yesterday at the Global Villages, Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, Philippines.

The Greg Camacho-managed Junior All-Stars played in the first match in the tournament last Saturday and lost to the Philippines in a low-scoring game, 2-5. The Commonwealth bets then returned to the field for the second tiff in the division yesterday and regrouped to whip China.

The CNMI Junior All-Stars will take a breather today—a much needed one as they have to prepare for tomorrow’s game against tournament favorite Chinese-Taipei. The Taiwanese came from a 22-0 rout of Hong Kong in the opening day and followed it up with a 10-0 triumph over the Philippines yesterday.

After meeting Chinese-Taipei, the CNMI will be paired against Hong Kong for its last game in the elimination round. Camacho’s wards must win at least one of their two remaining games to make it to the playoff round where only the Top 4 teams will advance.

Meanwhile, the CNMI dropped its opening game in the Senior League yesterday, while the islands’ Little League and intermediate squads suffered the same fate.

Over at the Hwaseong Dream Park in Korea, the CNMI Major All-Stars bowed to China, 0-3, last Saturday. At the same venue for the intermediate division, the CNMI (represented by Tinian players) was crushed by host Korea, 0-16.

In other results in Korea, Hong Kong topped the Philippines, 10-1; the host downed Guam, 7-1; and Chinese-Taipei shut down New Zealand, 10-0, in the Little League division. In the intermediate, China won over India, 15-3; the Philippines beat Pakistan, 15-0; and Hong Kong outclassed Indonesia, 16-6.

Back at Clark Freeport Zone, the CNMI lost to Guam yesterday, 3-10. The CNMI Senior All-Star Team will play Indonesia today and hopes to make it to the win column. Indonesia also dropped its opener against New Zealand last Saturday, 2-13.

In other results in the Senior League, the Philippines dominated Hong Kong, 12-2, and Guam routed India, 23-0, last Saturday.

In yesterday’s matches, Hong Kong bounced back with a 30-0 thrashing of India, while New Zealand got its second win after blanking the Philippines, 7-0.

The top finisher in the Senior League after the elimination will get an outright semis ticket, while the six remaining teams will fight for the three other Final Four slots.