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PIC Guam upsets No Ka Oi
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Posted on Nov 22 2005
Just days after making their triumphant return from Palau as the undisputed King of the Diamonds, the Saipan-based No Ka Oi softball team was upset by the Pacific Islands Club team from Guam in the finals of the 12th Annual Pacific Islands Club Thanksgiving Softball Tournament.
The lone team from the southernmost island in the Marianas was able to overpower the local favorites in the championship game, 23-12, but they had a little extra juice in the veins as a result of winning their opening rounds of the two-day affair.
PIC Guam only lost once in the double-elimination tournament, as No Ka Oi knocked them from their unbeaten pedestal by one run to force the final showdown, but they were able to muster the strength to surpass the Saipan squad after a brief break to take the trophy. No Ka Oi opened up with a decisive 26-14 win over PIC Saipan on Friday evening, while PIC Guam started off on the right foot with a one-sided 22-12 win over the Survivors. While the Survivors throttled the San Antonio PIC team in the losers’ bracket, 27-16, No Ka Oi suffered its first loss at the hands of PIC Guam in an 18-8 drubbing.
With PIC Saipan already eliminated, No Ka Oi exterminated the Survivors, 16-5, to force another round of longball with their dispatchers in the finals. The diamond kings came out ahead in the rematch as they edged PIC Guam to hand the band of Clubmates their first loss, 18-17.
All of the effort expended in the extra games finally took their toll on No Ka Oi, as the relatively well-rested PIC Guam squad piled on the runs in the final game to reclaim their title of two years ago, 23-12.
