Fielders complete semis cast

IT&E Fielders recorded back-to-back wins over the weekend at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield to complete the semis cast in the Big League division of the 2009 Saipan Little League Baseball.

Fielders started the weekend with a big 10-5 victory over league-leading Ol’Aces last Saturday.

After being shut out in the first three innings, Fielders found their mark in the fourth inning, scoring four runs, and hung in there in the last two innings to hand Ol’Aces their third loss. Fielders added two more runs in the fifth and closed out with a four-run bottom of the sixth.

Catcher Ben Flores went only 2-for-4 at bat, but made two RBIs, while Wens Namelo, Elton Santos, and Joe Lizama had one RBI apiece.

Juan Iguel and Mario Salas scored Ol’Aces’ first two runs at the top of the first on Fielders’ error, but the team went cold in the next three innings. Iguel doubled, sending Jimmy Brel home to break Ol’Aces’ silence in the fifth inning. Ol’Aces kept their hopes alive with a two-run top of the sixth, but still fell short when their first two batters were beaten to first and the fourth flied out.

Fielders played their last game in the regular season and edged D-9ers, 7-6.

The win gave Fielders a 6-6 record for fourth place in the team standings and booted D-9ers out of the tournament. D-9ers absorbed back-to-back losses, as they bowed to Hustlers last Monday, 4-16.

D-9ers finished the regular season with a 3-9 record, tying Kagman Aztecs for fifth to sixth place in the team standings.

Ol’Aces 7, Aztecs 4

Ol’Aces recovered from their loss to Fielders with a 7-4 triumph over Aztecs last Sunday.

The victory improved Ol’Aces record to 8-3 and strengthened their hold to the top spot. Ol’Aces’ last game will be against Hustlers and a win will ensure the former the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

Aztecs scored only in the first two innings before Ol’Aces tightened up their defense in the last five innings and began hitting their targets to hand the former their ninth loss in 12 games.

The game was last tied at 3-all after three complete innings when a three-run top of the fourth allowed Ol’Aces to gain control of the match, 6-4. Simeon Nepaial made the Ol’Aces’ seventh run on a Dennis Cruz’s single.

Falcons 6, Aztecs 5

The Falcons foiled Aztecs’ upset bid, pulling off a 6-5 win in nine innings last Saturday.

Navajo Falig made the game-winning hit with his single driving Tako Camacho home at the bottom of the ninth inning.

Ben Cabrera’s sacrifice fly sent Ike Aldan home in the fifth inning and helped the Falcons tie the game at 5-all.