Three tied for govt/biz softball league lead

Three teams shared the lead in the 2008-2009 Inter-Government/Business Softball League after Wednesday night’s games at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

Legislature played in the first game in the men’s division and posted its second win in as many games after whipping Pacific Islands Club, 17-5.

Joining Legislature on top of the leaderboard in the 20-team field with identical 2-0 records are Joeten Motors Jets and Freedom Air.

The Jets zoomed to a 10-5 victory in the second game over the Public School System, while Freedom Air slipped past SaipanCell/DFS, 17-9, in the last match of the night.

Legislature used an eigh-run top of the third to pull away and keep its unbeaten record.

Leftfielder Mitch Aaron led Legislature’s breakaway in the third inning when he made a two-run single, while first baseman Dave Apatang and rightfielder Paul Lizama had one RBI apiece, and also reached home plate.

Second baseman Thunder Sokau had a three-run homer at the bottom of the third, but PIC still trailed, 4-10, after three complete innings.

Legislature hung on to the lead, allowing only Kevin Carey to score in the remaining three innings.

After an eight-run top of the third, Legislature added four more runs in the fourth with second baseman Dennis Ngeskebei, connecting on a two-run triple.

Ngeskebei was 4-for-4 at-bat and scored two runs. Centerfielder Manny Villagomez was 3-for-4 and made four runs.

Legislature went 19-for-37 at the plate for a decent batting average of .513. PIC had a dismal .259 average, going 7-for-27.

In the second game, the Jets had a good start, nailing five runs at the bottom of the first, and Pete Sablan made a three-run homer in the fifth to hold off the rallying PSS.

The game ended after only six and a half innings, as PSS scored only two runs at the top of the seventh.

The Jets were ahead, 10-5, after six complete innings and PSS must score at least five runs to extend the game. PSS’ first two batters were beaten to first, while shortstop Dustin Quitano advanced on a Jets error and later reached home plate on a John Terlaje single. Terlaje also scored on an Emery Fitial single. But that was the last time PSS made it to the scoreboard, as the game ended after second baseman Jeff Isaac was beaten to first.

Ben Taisacan went 3-for-3 for the Jets, making two triples and scoring two runs.

In the third game, Freedom Air leaned on an 11-run bottom of the fourth to cruise past SaipanCell/DFS.

Freedom Air’s first eight batters scored at the bottom of the fourth and four had a chance to be at-bat twice. The list include centerfielder Joe Lizama who advanced to first on a SaipanCell error driving Roy Celis home and the former later made a two-run single on his second trip at-bat in the same inning.

Before Freedom Air’s breakout game at the bottom of the fourth, SaipanCell had the lead after three innings.

A four-run top of the first anchored by Dave Kapileo’s two-run single gave SaipanCell a 4-2 lead. Neither team scored in the second inning.

Theofilus Minor scored on a Luis Ngiraikeu single at the top of the third and SaipanCell kept the driver’s seat, 5-2, after three complete innings, as Freedom Air failed to score anew at the bottom of the third.