CNMI Big Leaguers beat Guam, 5-2

The 2008 Asia-Pacific Regional Little League Tournament got off to a good start yesterday, especially for the hosts after the CNMI beat Guam in the Big League at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

With flame-throwing pitcher Nicolas San Nicolas dealing early and often, the CNMI blanked their southern neighbors in the first six innings before Guam scored two inconsequential runs in the final inning in a 5-2 victory.

Nicolas was dominant in the first game of the 2008 Regionals, recording four strikeouts while only allowing four hits and the two aforementioned runs in the seventh. Guam pitcher Ricky Arce was tagged with the loss.

Nicolas may have had his moments from the mound, but a concern for CNMI Big League All-Star manager Robert Magofna is the way his hitters struggled against Guam’s pitching.

Other than Vicente Camacho, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI, the CNMI’s sluggers faired poorly against the Guamanians and it needed a pitching performance to remember from San Nicolas for the hosts to pull off the win.

For the record, the CNMI scored a run in the first, two in the second before adding a run each in the fourth and seventh innings.

The CNMI-Guam match followed an opening ceremony that saw the region’s Little League bigwigs and local officials welcome the delegations from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Guam to the “Road to the World Series.”

Acting Gov. Timothy Villagomez also said that he is proud of the world-class level of competition and organization that the islands’ Little League has capably demonstrated the past several years.

“They have indeed established a highly respectable organization and have proven locally, regionally, and internationally that steadfast perseverance for civic volunteerism and unshakeable belief in the infinite potential of our islands’ youth is win-win endeavor that magnified the true spirit of units in our close-knit community.”

For his part, Little League Baseball and Softball Asia-Pacific director B.H. Chow is amazed on how the sport has grown by leaps and bounds around the region and beyond.

“I’m so glad to inform that the Little League in this region has grown rapidly along with the new Little League participation of Australia, India, and Singapore. Age above 12-years-old leagues are coming with new faces from more countries.”

CNMI District Administrator James Ada, Saipan Little League Baseball Association president Juan I. Tenorio, and Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela also had their turns on the podium and welcomed the over 300 Little League players and officials to the CNMI.