DCCA extends win streak to five

Defending champion Department of Community and Cultural Affairs recorded its fifth win in as many games in the Budweiser 2008 Inter-Government/Business Softball League after overpowering the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., 14-6, Monday night at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

Pitcher Mel Sakisat went 3-for-3 at the plate, making two triples and recording three RBIs. Sakisat also scored two runs.

DCCA used a nine-run top of the fifth to take control of the game.

Both teams struggled in the first four innings with DCCA scoring only in the first two innings making four in the first and only one in the second.

CUC had a slower start, nailing only one run at the bottom of the first and was shut out in the second and third innings.

Two sacrifice flies from first baseman Melvin Tudela and rightfielder Joe Fejeran ended CUC’s slump and cut DCCA’s lead to two, 3-5.

But DCCA third baseman Ben Tagabuel had a two-run triple at the bottom of the fifth and seven other batters made one RBI each to give the defending champion a 14-3 advantage.

Centerfielder Jeff Cabrera nailed a two-run double at the bottom of the fifth and CUC scored another run on a DCCA error to keep its upset bid alive.

But Sakisat and the DCCA’s outfielders hung in tough in the last two innings allowing CUC only two hits and giving up no runs to preserve the defending champion’s victory.

DCCA now has the solo lead in the 20-team field and is one of the only two unbeaten teams in the league. Commonwealth Ports Authority is the other undefeated squad with its 3-0 record.
[B] Legislature 17, DEQ/CRM 3[/B]

Legislature, which had its four-game winning run snapped by DCCA Friday night, 4-14, vented its ire on Division of Environmental Quality/ Coastal Resources Management.

Legislature played in the last game Monday night and went home early, as it clobbered DEQ/CRM, 17-3, after only four and a half innings.

Dennis Ngeskebei, Toi Celis, and Dave Apatang went perfect at the plate with the trio going 3-for-3. The shortstop Celis had a two-run homer in the fourth inning, scored three runs, and had three RBIs. Apatang also had three RBIs, connecting on a two-run single in the second and a one-run triple in the third.

Perry Besong pitched in no relief for Legislature, allowing DEQ/CRM to only two hits in the first two inning innings and giving up no runs.

DEQ/CRM made it into the scoreboard in the third on a Larry Sugiyama sacrifice fly, but after three innings, Legislature was ahead, 7-1.

DEQ/CRM scored only two runs in the last two innings, while Legislature saved the best for last, firing 10 runs at the bottom of the fourth.

In the women’s division, Northern Marianas College kept the No. 1 spot after outlasting CUC, 17-13.

It was NMC’s third win in as many games putting them half a game ahead of defending champion DCCA (3-1). CUC remained winless in four matches.

CUC committed too many turnovers in the first inning allowing NMC to score 14 runs at the top of the first. Leftfielder Pangelyn Falig scored CUC’s lone run at the bottom on a Jenny Palacios’s sacrifice fly.

CUC picked up the scoring in the ensuing plays, notching five runs apiece in the second and fourth innings, while NMC slowed down making only three runs in the last five innings. But NMC’s 14-run top of the first was enough to preserve the win, as CUC fell short at the bottom of the sixth, recording only two runs.