IT&E brings down Comets I

IT&E snapped the Comets I’s streak after cruising to a 10-1 win in the third game in the Major division of the 2014 Saipan Little League Baseball League last Saturday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.
Spencer Dickinson nearly pitched a complete game, working the mound for IT&E (7-2) in 5.2 innings and allowing only two hits, while striking out eight to hand the Comets I its first loss in seven games. Christopher Achas relieved him at the bottom of the sixth inning and the former got the quick No. 3 out, catching a fly ball from Comets I third batter Ross Arriola. Dickinson nailed the first out, striking out fellow pitcher Francisco Frederick, while IT&E second baseman Denzel Pangilinan and first baseman Philip Kapileo teamed up for the second out.

The shutout in the fifth and sixth inning capped the Comets I’s game-long struggle against Dickinson and the rest of IT&E’s defense. The second-running Comets I only scored at the bottom of the second inning with Glenn Taro reaching home off a passed ball.

Earlier at the top of the second, Jaime Pangelinan had a solo inside-the-park homer, while Dickinson made an RBI single, giving IT&E a 6-0 lead. The first four runs were recorded in the first inning off the Comets I’s lapses. IT&E got three more unearned runs in the fourth to widen the gap, while the last run was registered at the top of the sixth with Frankin Pangelinan’s sacrifice out bringing Dickinson home.

Dickinson was perfect at the plate and scored three runs, the most by any player in the game.

Laolao Bay 10, Hustlers 7
J.P. Celis shut out the Hustlers in the last four innings to lift Laolao Bay to a come-from-behind win last Sunday.

Celis was Laolao Bay’s third pitcher in the match, taking over from A.C. Kalen late in the second inning with the Hustlers leading, 7-4. The closer went on to allow only two hits and struck out six. Celis fouled the Hustlers’ best chance to score in the fourth inning when he got back-to-back strikeouts and stranded runners and second and third. Then in the sixth and final inning, Celis booted out the Hustlers first two batters and after giving up a double to Juan Lizama, he wrapped the game with another strikeout (on Winfield Ada).

Laolao Bay complemented Celis’ steady pitching with a good offense in the third and fourth inning. Franco Namauleg drilled a two-run double and also scored off a fielder’s choice in the third inning to even out the match, 7-all. Laolao Bay then grabbed the lead in the fourth with Kalen scoring off an error at first base and gained cushion after notching two more runs off another Hustlers’ miscue and a stolen base from Tommy Agulto.

McDonald’s 21, Jets 1
In the second game, McDonald’s hammered the Jets to stretch its winning run to four after a 0-3 start. The Jets continued their slump, falling to a 0-6 slate.

Three McDonald’s players went perfect at bat to rout the Jets after only four innings. Third baseman Austin Camacho went 4-for-4 at the plate, hitting a two-run homer in the second inning and scoring four runs. Starting pitcher Jared Reyes was also 4-for-4 at bat and contributed four more runs. Catcher Henry Fleming was 3-for-3 and chipped in four runs, while first baseman Donavin Deleon Guerrero hit 3-for-4, but tallied two RBIs and got four runs.

McDonald’s began pulling away in the second inning when it scored seven runs for a promising 10-1 advantage. The Jets logged their lone run in the second inning when James Salalila stole home. Salalila was one of only two batters to hit against Reyes with Steven Kileleman the other one, making a single, but was left stranded, as the McDonald’s pitcher got the last two strikeouts. Sun Joon Tenorio came in for Reyes in the last two innings and threw a no-hitter while walking two and striking out four.