Blue Jays defeat Braves, 8-5

Blue Jays’ Tony Benavente Jr. gets ready to pitch in the early innings of their Tan Holdings-Saipan Baseball League 2023 season game against the Braves last Wednesday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field. (MARK RABAGO)

The Blue Jays went redhot in the second inning with five runs then held on to beat the Braves, 8-5, for its first win in the Tan Holdings-Saipan Baseball League 2023 season last Wednesday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.

The game was also historic as Blue Jays Kiana “Baby K” Camacho became the first woman in SBL history to play in the league.

Blue Jays’ Kiana “Baby K” Camacho, seen here in a file photo, became the first woman in Saipan Baseball League history to play in the league when she entered in the seventh inning and even recorded a hit. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)(

The Braves actually drew first blood when J.J. Teigita doubled and later reached home for a 1-0 lead after the opening inning.

But that was the only time the Braves had the upper hand as singles by James Salalila and Mark Toves and control problems by Braves starting pitcher Aaron Camacho in the second inning allowed five runners to cross home plate, giving the Blue Jays a commanding 5-1 spread.

The Braves scored a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 2-5, but mustered only three more runs the rest of the way while allowing the Blue Jays to score the same number of runs.

Salalila went 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI, while Travis Malwebug and Nate Sablan also drove in runs for the Blue Jays, which leveled their record at 1-1.

Teigita went 2-for-3 at the plate to go along with three runs and the aforementioned double. Andrew Camacho also doubled after going 2-for-3 as well for the Braves, who remain winless after two games.

Kiana Camacho, meanwhile, made it to the CNMI’s sports annals when she replaced Shan Mendiola in the last inning.

Facing Braves pitcher Jayden Tenorio, she made contact on the third pitch and took first base on a fielder’s choice.

“Everybody deserves a time and place to be remembered and I can only hope to inspire others by being the first female to play in the big leagues,” she said.

The top woman hitter in the 2023 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association League thanked her Blue Jays teammates for all the support she received in the young season.

“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate my team and all their efforts. My teammates were very supportive of me and I want to thank the entire team for this wonderful achievement,” she
said.

The 17-year-old from Kagman High School also gave her hat’s off to opposing pitcher Tenorio for his gamesmanship in the final moments of the game.

“The pitcher gave me a chance but the crowd didn’t like it. The next pitch I got what everyone wanted, a fastball. On the third pitch, I surprisingly made contact with the ball,” she said.

Camacho is hopeful that in the years to come, women playing in the SBL becomes common practice.

“I may be the first woman to ever play in the big leagues, but I won’t be the last.”