Patriots join Dragons on top

Defending champion SaipanCell Patriots joined the vastly improved Pacific Islands Club-Deloitte&Touche Dragons of San Antonio on top of the standings in the Majors division of the Saipan Little League.

The Patriots scored an 11-0 shutout win over the also retooled Bank of Saipan Red Sox on Saturday to improve to a 6-1 record, which is the same mark of the Dragons after a 14-12 win over the Martha’s Store-Survivors last Thursday at the Miguel Basa “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Field.

Jeremy Rabauliman pitched a complete game no-hitter five with 10 strikeouts and two walks while going 3-for-4 scoring two runs, had two doubles, a triple, and an RBI.

Cousin Jun blasted a two-run home run in the third that highlighted the Patriots’ four-run scoring to go with his 1-for-3 batting and two RBIs.

Jared Sablan, Alan Aguon, and Jose Lizama combined for 6-for-9 in batting with five runs. Sablan also connected with a triple and had three RBIs, while Lizama had an RBI single in the fifth.

Richard Borja went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI-double while Chris Mizer went 2-for-4 with one run and an RBI.

Closer Nathan Camacho nearly caused the Dragons the game but recovered to help the San Antonio crew score a 14-12 win over the Survivors last Thursday.

Holding on to a 14-9 lead and needing three outs to complete the win, Camacho caused the Dragons some anxious moments in the top of the sixth when Vicente Cabrera led off with a walk.

Cabrera moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a Steve Cabrera error, and scored on another wild pitch for a 14-10 count.

Camacho recovered by striking out Jayvan Uchau and Caleb Kakao to move one out away of securing the win for the Dragons. He walked Philip Sablan, Sisior Romolor was safe on first on an error, and Jerry Kintol walked to load up the bases.

Camacho gave up back-to-back RBI walks to Truman Shiro and Bred Yobech and allowed Sablan and Romolor to score that made it 12-14 and left the bases still loaded.

Manager Mike Johnson and coach Dennis Ngeskebei stuck with Camacho and he settled in, striking out Poland Masaharu to end the game.

Cody Kaipat pitched in no relief to help the UMDA Hustlers I to a 9-7 win over the PTI Dolphins on Saturday.

Kaipat, who also had a double, gave up three earned runs on eight hits with 10 strikeouts and five walks.

He had a lot of run support from Joseph Borja, who blasted a solo inside-the-park, four-bagger in the third inning to go with his 2-for-3 batting. Borja also scored two runs and had two RBIs.

A.J. Lizama went 3-for-4 with two runs, two triples, and two RBIs while Rhobby Kaipat went 2-for-3 with a run and three RBIs.