Lady Blue Jays, Hot Shots overpower opponents in BASA

Lady Blue Jays shortstop Keanu Aldan leaps for a fly ball as a BDE player stays put on second base during their playoff game of the 2023 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association league last Sunday at the DanDan Softball Field.(LEIGH GASES)

The Lady Blue Jays and the Hot Shots overpowered their opponents in the 2023 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association League playoffs at the DanDan Softball Field last Sunday.

In the first game in the morning, the Lady Blue Jays defeated BDE, 11-4, while Hot Shots slipped past the Lady Legals, 8-7, in the afternoon.

The Lady Blue Jays brought their red-hot offense into the playoffs and remained undefeated as they held BDE to just four runs.

The Lady Blue Jays struck first in the first inning with three runs, while BDE could not find holes in the Lady Blue Jays’ defense.

BDE were shut down back-to-back through the whole game as Lady Blue Jays pitcher Angel Deleon Guerrero was in the zone and induced many ground balls that led to easy outs.

The fifth inning was when the Lady Blue Jays exploded as they brought in five runs. A lead-off double by Christie Aldan started it off. Bong Babauta hit an RBI single, followed by another RBI single by Destiny Pangelinan and Kianu Aldan.

Kiana “Baby K” Camacho then hit an RBI triple and it was not over yet as Rachel Salalia hit an RBI double. The last inning was a two run inning as Camacho hit a two-run home run.

BDE players were only able to round the bases home in the last inning. Keina Rogopes started the last-minute run for a rally with a base hit. Two batters after her walked and were brought in after a single by Mabel Glare. Another single was hit by Ikelau Ngirarois, but that was all they wrote as they were shut down with the last out.

In the Hot Shots-Lady Legals game, the Lady Legals struck first but their efforts came to nought as the Hot Shots rallied in the last innings.

The Lady Legals made three runs in the first inning after a defending error and back-to-back base hits by Lizann Deleon Guerrero and Pauline Camacho. The second inning was a four-run inning as the bottom of the lineup made good contact and produced three RBI singles and a triple by Tiah Camacho.

The next five innings amounted to zero runs for the Lady Legals as they were shut down by Hot Shots pitcher Janice Celis.

The Hot Shots were down by five runs heading into the fourth inning, but that’s when their offense came alive as they brought in five runs. Mardina Kaipat started it off with a single and was brought in by a fielding error to Janica Lizama.

Three more RBI singles were made before their three outs, but it was enough as they squeezed in one more run in the last inning to steal the W away from the Lady Legals.
Results of the men’s division will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.