Pirates on the prowl for Junior pennant

The kids who graduated from the Major League have been putting on a show in their new digs as the Junior Leaguers have adjusted quite nicely from the confines of Miguel Basa “Tan Ge” Field to the luscious lea of Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field at the Oleai Sports Complex.

The six-team race for the pennant is still open to anyone, but the Pirates have taken the direct approach to the top spot by sailing out to a commanding 4-0 record and a solid two-game lead over the second place Hustlers.

One of the reasons for their success is the Pirates’ prowess at the plate. The fiercesome foursome of Donovan George, Joshua Jones, Eric Tenorio, and Ofero Taitano has posted some of the most impressive numbers in the Saipan Little League Baseball Association.

George leads the league with an unparalleled .800, eight plate crossings, five triples, and 10 runs batted in. Jones has the second-highest average on the team with a .533, while Tenorio has a .429 average and a pair of doubles, and Taitano has a .417 and is tied with George with eight runs scored.

Taitano and George also tout quality numbers on the mound as George is the fifth-ranked pitcher with a 7.33 earned run average and a 2-0 record, while Taitano is fourth in the league with nine strikeouts.

The Hustlers have gotten plenty out of rookie Nokki Lizama as well. The most valuable player from the Majors in 2005 has the second-best batting average at .778, is one of only five players with a homerun, and is second with seven runs batted in. Thus far, the Hustlers have been able to remain undefeated on the strength of Lizama, but they will need more to hold off the rest of the pack.

One of the teams waiting in the wings is the Dan Dan Jets. They have an even 1-1 record thanks to solid team play and the guts to keep them around in the close ones. It doesn’t hurt that they have the league’s top pitcher in Jonathan Salas.

In two games, Salas has a slim 2.19 earned run average through nine and two-thirds innings and has fanned a dozen would-be hitters. If they get some offense they stand a shot at giving the Pirates a run for their money.

The same goes for the Fielders. At 1-2, the Fielders have no-nonsense player John Maratita leading by example. Maratita was one of the players representing the CNMI in Fukuoka, Japan during the 2005 Asia-Pacific Regional Tournament, and his .222 batting average is among the Top 10.

Teammate Tom Agulto is second in the league with a pair of triples, but he has done a heck of a job on the mound as well. In two outings, Agulto sports a 1-1 record, a 6.22 earned run average, and nine strikeouts.

The Ol’Aces are a step behind at 1-3, but it’s not because of a lack of hitting and the absence of pitching. David Camacho (.545), Ben Taisacan (.500), Juan Iguel (.500), and Chris Meyers (.231) are among the 10 best at the plate, but the Aces have a couple of top pitchers as well.

Iguel is 0-2 through four games but has fanned the most batters (23) and the second lowest ERA at 5.36, while Camacho is 1-1 with the third lowest average at 5.90 and 12 strikeouts.

The Comets have none of the love this year. At 0-3, they are in the cellar and lack the star power to get the job done. The good news is that it is still early enough for them to come together as a team and alter their course for a collision course with first place.