Bears, Falcons tear through baseball foes

In this file photo, CK Bears pitcher Jeffrey Lizama is seen warming up during their first game of the 2023 Tan Holdings-Saipan Baseball League at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field. (LEIGH GASES)

The CK Bears and Falcons tore through their foes in the 2023 Tan Holdings-Saipan Baseball League last Wednesday and Tuesday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.

The Bears outscored the Natives, 6-4, on Wednesday, while the Falcons soared above the D-9ers, 20-5, on Tuesday.

The Bears and Natives were in a pitching duel as both teams went scoreless in many innings. 

The Natives drew first blood in the second inning with a base on balls to Keoni Lizama, followed by a base hit from Ankie Guerrero. Larson Sibetang brought them both in for a two run lead.

The Bears had a slow start with no runs in the first couple of innings, but their bats heated up in the third when a lead-off single by Virgil Secharmidal started the offense. Another base knock was made by Dennis Cabrera, followed by a strikeout, then a hit by pitch. 

Three runs scored in that inning and the game was a close 3-2. The Natives, on the other hand, went ice cold for two scoreless innings and only two more runs were made in the fifth off a double by Mario Salas and an RBI-triple by Ben Leon Guerrero, who then rounded the bases after a single by Sibetang. 

One more run was made by the Bears in the fourth, then two came in the last inning off a clutch RBI single by Kimo Angailen and pinch hitter Anthony Leon Guerrero.

To start off baseball last week on Tuesday night, the Falcons blew the D-9ers out of the field on a wild 20 run frenzy for a shortened run-ruled mercy game.

The Falcons were red hot from the get-go when they scored five in the first inning. The D-9ers pitcher could not get himself out of a jam as the Falcons swung at almost every pitch he threw and pressured the defense as well. 

In that first inning alone, Ben Lizama walked four batters, gave up three singles, and to top it off, his defense committed three errors—which the Falcons gladly capitalized on.

The second inning was not any better for the D-9ers as they only scored two in the first for a 5-2 game. To add salt on their wounds, the Falcons’ steaming hot bats branded the D-9ers with six more runs, then three in the third.

The D-9ers only came up with two in the third off Tindin DeLeon Guerrero’s hit that resulted from an error, followed up by an RBI single by Jeremy Atalig. 

Six more runs came in the fourth inning for the Falcons with a perfect night for Giovanni Mira as he went 4-for-4 at-bats and had an RBI double. Henry Aguon gave the triple for a spin around the bases which resulted in three runs batted in. 

When the D-9ers only conjured up one more run, the game was called off and ended early.

Results of last Thursday’s and last Friday’s games will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.