Queens of Diamond takes softball tiara

Queens of Diamond is the women’s division champion of the 2022 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball League after defeating the Hotshots in Game 3 of their best-of-three championship series, 23-11, last Sunday at the jam-packed Dandan Softball Field. (LEIGH GASES)

The women’s division softball crown is now in the possession of its rightful owners—the Queens of Diamond—after they conquered the Hotshots in the best-of-three championship series in the 2022 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball League last Sunday at the jam-packed Dandan Softball Field.

It was the first time that the women’s division was introduced into the league with the Queens of Diamond now the first and reigning champions. Throughout the regular season, the Queens lived up to their name and showed their prowess in the diamond as they came into the postseason nearly unscathed with nine wins against a single loss.

Rachel Salalila of the Queens of Diamond hit an inside- the-park home run and brought in three RBIs in Game 3 of the championship series against the Hotshots in the 2022 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball League last Sunday at the Dandan Softball Field. (LEIGH GASES)

In the battle for softball supremacy, however, the Queens were handed just their second loss in the whole season, in a 15-12 setback to the Hotshots. The Queens’ nerves were shot with multiple errors on the field as the game slipped from their grasp with the Hotshots forcing a tie-breaking third and final championship game.

The Hotshots’ burning energy fizzled out in the final game though, as the Queens reignited their desire for first place—pacing their defense, backing up their pitcher, and scorching the field with their back-to-back runs like wildfire and won Game 3 handily, 23-11.

While the Hotshots dominated earlier in the second game, the Queens with the vengeance returned the favor and more as they assaulted Hotshots pitcher Janice Celis with run after run. In all, they pelted Celis with eight runs in the first inning and 11 in the fifth. 

After a seven-run second inning by the Hotshots led by Erica Tenorio and Ash Aguon’s two RBI each, the Queens, in the blistering heat of the day, made a comeback that turned up the temperature of the game with multiple inside-the-park home runs burning through the field from the Queens’ bats.

The Queens’ Bong Babauta brought in two RBIs with her second-inning inside-the-park homerun; and in the fifth inning, Rachel Salalila brought in three RBIs, while Amy Cabrera brought in four RBIs right after.

The Hotshots were unable to douse the Queens’ hot streak of runs as they failed to catch up in the final innings and Queens pitcher Bert Camacho made sure her pitches were untouchable.

With her stellar performance on the mound and in the batter’s box, Bert Camacho, who is also the team captain, was handed the finals MVP award during the awards ceremony after the game.

“We played hard all season and I really think that it was a lot of teamwork with the team and that’s how we made it all the way to the top. We took [the] pennant, a lot of the individual trophies are coming to us—to this team, and I am thankful to Froilan Camacho, Manny Sablan, and Paul Salalila for coaching this team all the way to the top.”

“[In the] final game, we… kind of made a lot of errors in Game 2. We took Game 1, made a lot of errors in Game 2, [but] came back [in] Game 3. And I [told] the girls, ‘recollect, play hard, but let’s have fun,’ and that’s how we did it,” said the MVP.

First base Thelma Mizer chimed in and said “thanks for the ​​motivation of our team captain Bert Camacho… Always, always, always in every game and every practice, always motivating the kids…no negative, everything is positive. That’s what really counts.” 

Coach Froilan Camacho said after losing Game 2, “We needed to do some recuperation to discuss again what is our next strategy to fulfill our next game… Me and coach Manny [Sablan], we put our heads together to figure out what’s our next strategy to take Game 3 and it… worked for us. The other team is a very strong team. They put their heart out to defeat the other teams… So, it was a chance for them… to reach us and compete.”

“I want to thank my girls that played today. To our fans, family, and to coach Manny [Sablan] for always looking for me to help them out…” said Camacho. 

With the team’s almost undefeated record, Camacho said “It’s still an impressive record. Who would have thought we would have almost a perfect record? It was a challenge to compete because it’s our first time to compete out here and to see what the other teams have to offer during the game time.”

Along with Bert Camacho, Babauta, Cabrera, Salalila, and Mizer, the rest of the Queens lineup include Jul Ngeskebei, Kiana Camacho, Allana Sablan, Keolani Rios, Destiny Pangelinan, and Mariko Laniyo. The team’s leading batter, Kiana Aldan, was off-island and was unable to receive her individual awards for most triples, most home runs, most RBIs, and regular season MVP.

Results of the men’s championship game will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.