Red Sox edge Falcons; Ol’Aces remain unbeaten

Junior League’s Bank of Saipan Red Sox triumphed over the Natibu Sports Association Tanapag Falcons, 15-13, as the Saipan Little League Baseball regular season continued at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield last week.

The win improved the Sox’s card to 4-2, while the Falcons endured their third loss in four games.

In other Junior League results, the IT&E Fielders (2-3) survived a late rally from the Jets (1-3), 12-9.

In other results, the Docomo Pacific Ol’Aces notched two more wins in the Senior League last week to extend their streak to six, while the Rep. Antonio Sablan-Eliceo D. Cabrera Hunters (6-3) defeated Saipan Shipping Company’s Jets I, 14-11. The Ol’Aces outlasted the Jets I (2-5), 5-1, last Thursday and clipped the IT&E Fielders (4-2), 8-7, last Sunday.

Red Sox 15, Falcons 13[/B]

The Red Sox scrambled for two runs off errors in the first inning and added four more in the top of the second off an RBI triple by Craig Aguon and a two-RBI double by Jonathan Camacho. However, the Falcons swooped back to within a run, 5-6, in the bottom frame off five hits. Derek Noag hammered an RBI double, Barry Sunumai lifted a sacrifice fly, Frankie Lifoifoi bagged an RBI single, and Bradley Lieto hit an RBI double.

The Falcons then pulled in front, 7-6, in the third inning off a James Kintaro triple and a sacrice fly by Sunumai. The Red Sox’s Jhace Palacios was called to the mound with the bases loaded and two outs to stop the bleeding.

Then the game became locked at 9-all in the fourth. The Red Sox brought home three runners of an error, a double by Camacho, and a base knock from MJ Sakisat, but the Falcons’Kintaro and Sunumai answered with two runs in the bottom frame with a double and a single.

The Red Sox were not discouraged, however and spurted ahead, 11-9, in the fifth inning off a sacrifice fly by Aguon and a two-out double by Roke Tenorio.

The count shifted to 13-12, in the sixth as the Red Sox managed a couple runs from a base smash by Jobe Reyes before the Falcons made three runs, two hits and three fielder’s choices. Lifoifoi bagged an RBI single. The Red Sox stirred up two more runs in the seventh from Jose Taiquingco and caged the birds to just a run in the final stand.

The Fielders built a 4-0 lead after four innings as they scored two runs in the second off two hits and an error and another pair in the third with aggressive base running.

Both teams put up the runs in the fifth and the Fielders went ahead, 12-3, heading into the last inning of regulation where they fought off a late Jets rally.

Winning pitcher Jadrien Camacho pitched six innings before coming loose when he returned to the mound to try and finish the duel. He left after another three runners came home in the seventh and ended up allowing four earned runsoff nine hits, including a two-run homer from Franco Nakamura in the fifth. Camacho also issued five walks and struck out four.

The Fielders’ Kainoa Wanket batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs. George Pangelinan scored three times and Nakamura swung 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs.
[B] SENIOR LEAGUE

Ol’Aces 8, Fielders 7[/B]

The Fielders broke the ice with two runs in the opening frame with Davin Ada stealing home and Khobby Kaipat scoring off a wild pitch. They then moved ahead, 6-0, in the top of the second off a pair of doubles by Keene Guerrero and Ada (RBI) and two base hits by Kaipat and Poland Masaharu (RBI).

The Ol’Aces managed a run in the bottom frame from a triple by AJ Lizama, who scored off an error. The Ol’Aces then halved the deficit, 3-6, in the third inning off three hits with Jun Rabauliman bagging an RBI single. The Ol’Aces pulled within a run, 5-6, in the fourth inning from a RBI poke by Jonah Flores and an RBI single by Rabauliman and later knotted the count at 7-all after the fifth inning. The Fielders’ Masaharu led off with a hit and stole the dish, while the Ol’Aces’ Lancaster Sechamredal drove in a run and snuck home.

The Ol’Aces’ Frankie Camacho took the ball and closed the last two innings with ease, while teammate TJ Sablan cranked the walk-off triple with one out in the bottom of the seventh.

Rabauliman swung 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Lizama batted 3-for-4 with two runs.
[B] Hunters 14, Jets I 11[/B]

The Jets I established a promising 8-2 lead after three innings, but the Hunters rolled up their sleeves and mounted an impressive comeback in the late innings.

The Hunters top of the order rallied back with six runs in the fifth inning off five hits. Steven Cabrera doubled home a run and was driven home by Jonah Reyes. Thomas Reyes then stepped in and busted a two-RBI double followed by a two-RBI base rip by Juan Deleon Guerrero. The Jets I managed to get one run back to remain ahead, 10-8.

The Hunters then clawed in front, 11-10, in the top of the sixth inning off four hits. They managed a couple base hits that set up an RBI single from Jonah Reyes and two-RBI double in the clutch from Jesus Mafnas.

Hunters’ Jerome Reyes came to the mound to close out the last two innings and held the Jets I to just one run. The Hunters added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh with the help of some walks and untimely errors out in the field.

The Jets I’s Jordan Taitano led off the second inning with a triple and was brought to the plate by Tristian Javier, but the Ol’Aces answered with a run in the top of the fourth from an RBI single by Lancaster Secharmedal and pulled ahead, 5-1, in the sixth with the help of some sketchy pitching.

Jets I plunked the leadoff man, who was later sacrificed home with a fly ball from AJ Lizama. The next three batters reached on balls and made it home off a fielder’s choice and wild throws.

Winning pitcher Secharmedal gave up one earned run off six hits and two walks with three strikeouts in four and one-third innings.