Iguel homer lifts DCEPT 6 to second straight title

DCEPT 6 topped the Customs Goodwill Slowpitch Softball Tournament for the second straight time after beating NMC We Are You in the finals Sunday at the Dandan Elementary School Ballfield.

Thanks to leftfielder Juan Iguel’s solo homer, which allowed DCEPT to pull off a 3-2 triumph in the low-scoring title match

Both teams struggled at-bat with NMC We Are You scoring only one run in the first and another in the sixth. Second baseman Dave Apatang made NMC We Are You’s first run on a DCEPT 6 error, while Tyrone Omar scored the second one on a Jess Mesa sacrifice fly.

NMC We Are You shut out DCEPT 6 in the first three innings before Mel Sakisat’s single drove Nokki Saralu home and put the eventual two-time champion in the scoreboard.

DCEPT 6 took a 2-1 lead at the bottom of the fifth on leftfielder Ben Taisacan solo home run.

After Omar’s run at the top of the sixth tied the game at 2-all, DCEPT 6 failed to regain control of the match at the bottom when NMC We Are You pitcher Shine Tenorio struck out Nadia Saralu, and Ben Tagabuel and Mike Iguel flied out.

NMC We Are You tried to take the lead at the top of the seventh inning, but had little chances against DCEPT 6’s tight defense. NMC’s first two batters flied out and Tenorio was beaten to first base for the third out.

Juan Iguel then led off for DCEPT 6 at the bottom of the sixth and connected on a walkoff homer to wrap up the tournament and clinch back-to-back titles for his team.

Last year, DCEPT 6 defeated Faja in the title showdown winning in Game 2, 16-5. DCEPT 6 earned a twice-to-beat advantage in last year’s finals after sweeping its preliminary games. Faja won Game 1, 19-8, to force a deciding Game 2.

This year, DCEPT 6 also had a twice-to-beat advantage in the finals and quickly ended the title showdown with Iguel connecting on the game-winning homer.

Joining Iguel on the winning team were brothers Jesus and Mike, mother and son Nadia and Nokki Saralu, Mel Sakisat, Roy Celis, Bego Camacho, Byron Kaipat, Ben Taisacan, Julian Camacho, and Ben Tagabuel.

DCEPT 6 claimed the first finals ticket after downing UR Ball in the semifinals of the winners’ bracket.

UR Ball advanced to the semis after beating NMC We Are you in the quarterfinals. We Are Your dropped to the losers’ bracket and had to beat UR Ball in the other semis match to notch the second finals ticket.

Other teams that joined the weekend tournament were FAS, Team Nang, Sakudi, and Goodwill.

Tournament organizer Samantha Salas said they will be holding another tournament next month.