Fielders 1, Titanium post contrasting wins

Titanium and Fielders 1 came out on top of their respective Saipan Major League Summer/Fall Youth Baseball League matchups last Saturday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

Titanium edged out the Kagman Lions, 1-0, in the scheduled second game, while Fielders 1 walloped Ol’Aces, 10-4, in the final pairing. The morning match between the Lions and Fielders 2 was called off due to rain.

Both teams went 1-2-3 in the opening frame and the home team Titanium hit the board in the bottom of the second inning when Kevin Villagomez drew a walk and worked his way around the bases before scoring off a wild pitch. the Lions left a man at first in the top of the inning.

The Lions made it to second base in the third inning, but Titanium’s infield hung tough and got out of the jam.

The Lions’ defense then answered in the bottom frame. After a strikeout to start the inning, the Lions pulled off a 4-3 double play to end the inning.

Lions’ Arthur Jebehn led off the fourth with a walk, stole second base, and went to third off a wild pitch, but was called out at the plate trying to steal home to tie the game.

Teammate Mack Jones also made it to third base in similar fashion as Titanium managed runners on the corners, but Titanium’s pitcher Steven Cabrera battled back with a pair of clutch strikeouts.

Titanium drew another blank in the bottom frame as a leadoff walk was followed by three pop flies.

Titanium’s Jonathan Cabrera came to the mound in relief for Steven Cabrera to close the game. This particular matchup was called off after five innings due to player unavailability and time constraints.

The home team Fielders jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off three hits.

The first two batters reached on a walk and a base hit that set up an RBI double by Carl Camacho that scored K.J. Villagomez. Camacho and teammate Jack Villagomez would later score off wild pitches and eighth batter R.J. Villagomez ripped an RBI smash that scored Jonathan Rangamar as the Fielders batted through its lineup.

Ol’Aces got a run back off two hits in the top of the second inning as Lancaster Secharmidal drove in Rocco Reyes with a single.

Ol’Aces stuffed the Fielders 1-2-3 in the bottom frame, but left two runners stranded to start the third.

The Fielders then added two runs in the bottom frame to go up, 6-1. Arthur Jebehn and Camacho made it all the way around. Cody Kaipat belted an RBI double and Rangamar followed suit with an RBI poke.

Ol’Aces halved its deficit, 3-6, in the fourth inning but left the bases loaded. The runs came off two hits, three walks, and an untimely error, but the Fielders managed to escape with minimal damage.

The Fielders went three up and three down in the bottom frame and Ol’Aces scored its final run in the top of the fifth inning,

The first three Ol’Aces’ batters bashed hits, but the Fielders’ defense bit down again and put out yet another fire.

The Fielders got the run back in the bottom frame off wild pitches and went on to add three more runs in the seventh inning for good measure.

The Fall Youth Baseball League season continues on Saturday at Tan Ko Field with Titanium going up against Ol’Aces at 9am followed at 11:30am by Fielders 1 clashing with the Lions. Ol’Aces then will stick around and take on Fielders 2 at 2pm.