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D’9ers trip Masters for share of lead
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Posted on Mar 10 2009
The D’9ers first eight batters scored in the first inning and it was just the cushion the team needed to beat the Masters, 14-9, in the 2009 Budweiser Saipan Major League on Friday night at the Francisco M. Palacios Ballfield.
Shortstop Rob Bansil and second baseman Ben Mesa scored three runs each, while third baseman Rob Lizama and right fielder Jeff Tenorio reached home plate twice to lead D’9ers to its second straight win.
John Acosta, Ray Camacho, Aldred Atalig, and Eno Tenorio also rounded the bases in the D’9ers win.
Mel Sakisat pitched for the first time for the D’9ers and struck out nine batters and allowed 14 hits, nine runs, and three walks.
After that eight-run burst in the first inning, the D’9ers stretched their lead to 12-3 after five full innings.
Dennis Cruz, Nick Guerrero, and Mabel Ngirngemelas scored the first three runs for the Masters.
In the top of the sixth, Jason Hayes had one run for the Masters. The team then rallied by blasting five runs in the seventh with Cruz, Ngirngemelas, Bill Aguon, and Hayes crossing home plate to chop the lead to 9-12.
But D’9ers managed three more runs from Lizama, Bansil, and Mesa that quickly snapped the Masters rally.
Hayes grounded out in the top of the ninth, but Guerrero reached first on a fielding error. Sakisat, however, struck out Ngirngemelas and Mesa flied out to center to end the game.
With the win the D’9ers tied defending champion Rock Steady at 2-0. They won their first game against the Tanapag Falcons, 13-3, last Feb. 23.
On the other hand, the Masters failed to duplicate their victory over Korean Phoenix, 21-1, in their first game last Feb. 25.
