Bears enter win column; GSM triumphs

Go See Mark’s Vince Cepeda throws warm-up pitchers while waiting for the start of their game against the Comets yesterday in the 2017 Saipan Baseball League at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Defending champions Chalan Kanoa Bears got their first victory in the 2017 Saipan Baseball League after edging Titanium, 7-6, last Wednesday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

A.J. Lizama scored the game-winning run at the bottom of the ninth inning off Angel Palacios’ base hit, which Titanium failed to pick up on time as Jack Sablan fumbled at second base. The Bears scored two runs in the last inning to steal the win with the first run made by Peyton Lizama off Titanium’s error at shortstop.

The victory came after the Bears went on a 0-2 start. Their last defeat came at the hands of Go See Mark, which posted an 8-5 triumph over the defending champions last Friday.

After being held to one run in the first six innings, GSM found its target in the next two innings to overhaul the Bears’ lead. The Bears went up, 5-1, after six and a half innings, as they scored two runs in the second and one each in fourth, fifth, and seventh inning.

A two-RBI single from Ricardo Dela Cruz then sparked GSM’s comeback at the bottom of the seventh and the team managed to tie the match after getting two more earned runs. GSM then grabbed the upper hand in the eighth inning as it scored two runs off the Bears’ miscues and one more off an RBI single from designated hitter Tyrone Omar.

GSM kept the lead in the last inning, as the Bears were done after only four batters with the first and third grounding out and the second getting beaten at third base.

In other results, the BSI Aces and D-9ers downed their respective foes this week.

The D-9ers nosed out the Blue Jays in last Monday’s game, 7-6.

The D-9ers scored two runs at the bottom of the eighth inning to gain cushion and they played good defense at the bottom of the ninth to slip past the Blue Jays. The D-9ers’ two runs came off a fielder’s choice and a bunt for a 7-5 lead after eight complete innings.

At the top of the ninth, Jess Mesa made an RBI single to threaten the D-9ers with two outs and runners on third and second base. Davie Matagolai then attempted to run home after James Benavente hit his target, however, Ian Lizama picked up the ball and threw it to catcher Robert Tudela who tagged the former out for the D-9ers win.

In last Tuesday’s game, the BSI Aces defeated the Falcons, 7-3.