D-9ers defeat d’Islanders

The D-9ers completed their season of success in top form on Tuesday night at the Oleai Sports Complex, as they imposed their will upon the Islanders at the plate and in the field to the tune of a 12-2 finale that sent the fans and players home early via the 10-run mercy rule.

Led by centerfielder Roy Celis, the D-9ers hitters scored 12 run off of 16 hits in five shots at the Islanders pitching staff, while the nine defenders allowed just two Islanders runners to cross their plate in the contest.

Celis finished a perfect 3-for-3 for the third game in a row and was a triple away from hitting for the cycle, while teammate Jerome Delos Santos went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in, three scores, and was also a triple away from the cycle.

The D-9ers (12-3) wasted no time in asserting their dominance over the Islanders (4-10), as they started off the game by scoring three runs off of four hits in the top of the first—including a solo homerun by Celis.

There was more of the same in the top of the second, as left fielder Pepi Tenorio cranked a three-run inside the park homerun to put the cap on a five-hit, four-run at bat for the D-9ers.

In the third, second baseman Jerome Delos Santos smacked a two-run shot that scored B.J. Sablan to give the D-9ers a 9-0 lead after two and a half innings. The Islanders were unable to mount a comeback as the D-9ers defense was playing at the top of its game. Pitcher John Sablan had nothing to worry about on the mound as his fielder turned a double-play in the first and second innings, as well as a 5-4-3 triple-play in the third to keep the scoreboard blank.

After scoring four runs off of four hits in the top of the fourth inning, the D-9ers made a swap of their pitchers to give newcomer Paul Camacho some practice before the playoffs.

Camacho put a new spin on things when he entered the game, and although he allowed the Islanders’ Reno Celis to score off of a Manny Cabrera base hit, for their first run of the game, his defense continued to send the D-9ers back to the dugout with another double-play.

As they game moved into the top of the fifth inning, the D-9ers held a 12-1 lead, but they failed to improve upon it and gave the Islanders one last chance to extend the game. While the Islanders managed to score another run in the bottom of the inning, it was all for not, as the game ended in a mercy rule-shortened night.

The final game of the regular season gets underway tonight, when the Islanders return to the Oleai Sports Complex to face the Verizon Sluggers (7-7) at 6:30pm.