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Aces, Falcons beat SBL opponents
The Falcons’ A.J. Evangelista waits for a possible play at third base during their game against the Ballistics in the 2018 Saipan Baseball League last Friday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Jon Perez)
Last year’s finalists Aces and the Falcons dispatched their respective foes in last week’s games in the 2018 Saipan Baseball League at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.
The defending champions Aces completed a 17-7 win in their shortened match over the Outlaws last Thursday, while 2017 season runners-up Falcons thwarted the Ballistics’ upset bid last Friday, 8-5.
Barry Sunumai pitched two shutout innings for the Aces with no hits, four strikeouts, and two walks. Nokki Saralu drove in two runs on a 1-for-2 batting with one run for the Aces, who improved to 4-1 while keeping the Outlaws winless in six games.
Jesus Iguel went 2-for-3 with three runs and an RBI, while Tyrone Omar scored twice and drove in a run after going 2-for-2 in the match that was played for only seven innings. Ben Jones, who had a leadoff walk in the first, went 2-for-2 with three runs.
Dennis Cabrera tossed two innings in the start in the Outlaws’ loss, allowing seven runs—four earned—behind four hits with three walks and no strikeouts.
Dave Matagolai went 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI, while Wally Emul also hit 1-for-2 with two runs and a two-RBI single in the Outlaws’ five-run second inning. Verlance Secharmidal had two RBIs and was 2-for-5 at bat.
Falcons 8, Ballistics 5
Khobby Kaipat went 2-for-3 with one run and a pair of RBI singles—including a two-RBI single in the fifth.
The Falcons clinched their fourth win in five games to join the Aces at second place behind the 6-0 record of GSM.
The Falcons were tested by the Ballistics almost the entire game with their opponents keeping the score tied at 5-5 after six complete. Last year’s losing finalists, however, scored three runs at the top of the seventh and Frankie Lieto came in to shut down the Ballistics the rest of the way.
Lieto pitched five innings—four in shutout—of the one-hit game and gave up one unearned run with four strikeouts and two walks.
