CNMI advances to baseball finals

A CNMI player swings, while a runner on third base gets ready to sprint home during a preliminary game against Pohnpei in the 9th Micronesian Games last week in Yap. The CNMI will play in the gold medal game after beating Kosrae in the semifinals yesterday, 13-1. (Hiroyuki Mori)

The gold medal in the baseball competition in the 9th Micronesian Games is within the CNMI’s reach following its 13-1 rout of Kosrae in the second semifinals game yesterday in Yap.

The win was fifth in as many games for the Commonwealth, which will play in the finals tomorrow against the winner of the knockout game between Pohnpei and Kosrae. Pohnpei defeated 2010 champion Palau, 7-2, in the other playoff match yesterday to earn the right to face Kosrae for the second and last finals ticket.

Meanwhile, the CNMI Swim Team got another silver medal to bring Team Marianas’ total to 20 (three golds, 10 silvers, and seven bronzes).

Kento Akimaru, Sophia Gauran, Keanna Villagomez, and Jinnosuke Suzuki swam for the CNMI squad that finished the 5-kilometer mixed relay race in 1:27:07. Palau’s Noel Keane, Osisang Chilton, Roylin Akito, and Jericho Maido took the gold medal after completing the event in 1:22:41, while the Marshall Islands’ Kayla Hepler, Phillip Kinono, Taruru Naut ,and Daniel Ranis clocked in at 1:49:57 to claim the bronze.

Yesterday’s relay was the last event in the ocean swim competition and Palau ruled the tournament after collecting four gold medals, one silver, and three bronzes. The CNMI earned one gold and four silvers, while Pohnpei and the Marshall Islands have one bronze each.

In other results yesterday, the CNMI lost to Chuuk in the men’s basketball classification game, 76-82. The semis matches in the division were also scheduled yesterday, but results of the Guam vs Palau and Pohnpei vs the Marshall Islands tiffs were unavailable as of press time.

In the women’s basketball, Guam and the Marshall Islands marched into the gold medal game after eliminating their semis foes. The Marshall Islands booked the first finals seat after ousting Palau, 63-59, while Guam routed Pohnpei in the other semis match, 81-54.

In weightlifting, competition will start today at the Yap Sports Complex Gymnasium.

The combined weight competition will run from 10am to 1pm, while the eight weight classes contest will be held this Thursday from 10pm to 3pm.

The CNMI has five entries in the weightlifting event. The list includes Rodrigo Ada, Bonny Cruz, Antonette Labausa, Angel San Nicolas, and Joseph Tudela.