The race is on in Major Division

The Dandan Comets improved its perfect win-loss record to 10-0 after downing DPS Dare Program’s Enforcers (8-3), 9-3, in Sunday’s Saipan Little League’s Major Division matchup held at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

The Enforcers came into this weekend positioned strongly in second place, but now have some company in the standings after enduring not one, but two losses.

On Saturday the IT&E Ol’Aces (8-3) outlasted Enforcers, 8-7, in seven innings and is now tied for second place.

This weekend left San Vicente A’s (4-7), IT&E (4-7), the Attorney Robert T. Torres’ Kagman Little Legals (4-6), and the As Matuis Twins (5-5) racing to see who will join the Comets, Enforcers, Ol’Aces, Pacific Amusements’ Rays (7-4), and Natibu Sports Association’s Tanapag the Falcons (6-3) in the eight-team playoffs.

In addition, on Saturday the Rays narrowly escaped IT&E (4-7), 6-4, and the Legals (4-6) defeated McDonald’s (1-10), 12-5. The Falcons (6-3), meanwhile, barely glided past the San Vicente A’s (4-7), 5-4, on Sunday.

Enforcers’ Joaquin Saralu broke a 2-2 tie from the first two innings with a base hit and some crafty base running in the top half of the third frame.

The Comets threatened in the bottom half, but left runners on the corners.

Fortunately for them, their pitcher Erik Cruz hung tough on the mound and struck out the side in the third inning to give his team a chance for a late rally.

After going 1-2-3 to end the fourth, the Comets exploded with seven runs off five hits.

Vincent Thomas doubled on and made home with a fielder’s choice by Cruz and another run scored soon after off an error. Cruz was doubled in by Lorenzo Sebaklim and Austin Hocog kept it rolling, despite a pitching change, with an RBI single.

Then after a walk, Aurel Mendiola stepped in and cleared the bases with a three-run bomb.

Comets’ Cruz held it down on the mound in his biggest start of the season and finished the game, giving up three runs off just two hits with 12 strikeouts in six innings.

The Falcons moved in front, 2-0, off two hits and an infield error in the third inning. Benen Iguel bagged an RBI double.

Notably, Falcons workhorse pitcher Jose Pangelinan held the A’s on a short leash for five innings and allowed only three base runners from that point in the match.

He stepped back on the rubber in the top of the sixth inning, but left shortly after with one out and runners on first and second. The Falcons immediately nabbed its second out after the change, but the A’s grinded out a four-run rally for new life off an error, a stolen dish by Donavin Ada, and an RBI single by Ryuta Onuki before the Falcons could put a lid on it.

The Falcons then screeched back in the bottom frame with a two-out uprising of its own to steal the win. Don Fejaren led off with a triple and stole home and after sitting down the next two batters, the A’s fell apart at the most inopportune time.

A pair of errors preset three consecutive walks as perhaps the Falcons were gifted the win in the clutch.

It was justice regardless for winning pitcher Pangelinan who maintained a 2-0 margin before leaving the game. He inherited an unearned run off four hits and three walks with six strikeouts through 5 2/3 innings.

The Enforcers shot out of the gate with three doubles for a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Jim-Boy Laniyo, Joaquin Saralu, and Kier Agda all bagged RBIs.

Ol’Aces were silent its first time through the lineup, but came alive with seven runs off five hits in the third inning.

Tyler Flores lit the wick with a two-RBI single and Virgil Secharmidal kept the run alive with a solo blast.

Ol’Aces then loaded the bases and scored off a fielder’s choice, a walk, and a trio of RBI base rips by Kaluki Aguon, Jerome Reyes, and Mathew Higgins.

The Enforcers mustered a run in the fourth inning from a stolen dish by Travis Camacho and then added two more in the fifth off a two-run shot by Agda before tying the match at 7-all thanks to a wild throw around the infield in the sixth frame. Dennis Cabrera reached on a one-out single and made his way around to force the game into overtime.

Ol’Aces’ Secharmidal led off the bonus frame with a base hit and was knocked home off a fielder’s choice by Tyrese Camacho for the go-ahead run and Reyes secured the save in the bottom frame.

Ol’Aces starting pitcher Secharmidal received the nod after giving up five earned runs off seven hits two walks and a pair of hit batsmen with nine strikeouts through five innings.

It was a pitching duel between Rays’ Jay Kalen and IT&E lefty Matt Kapileo, but the Rays’ Nathaniel Torres reached on a base hit and later scored off a wild pitch to break the ice in the fourth inning.

IT&E answered with four runs in the fifth inning for a promising surge. Elijah Villar then tripled home Jae Hae Lee and stole home, while the other runs came in off an error and a fielder’s choice by Alan Hinson.

Though Rays’ Kalen blinked first on the mound, IT&E did not want to risk it and relieved Kapileo with Colin Ramsey in the bottom of the fifth.

The Rays were happy to see the former go and racked up five runs off three hits with patience at the plate to steal the win.

Brian Wabol and Kalen reached and stole home to pull the Rays within a run and a pair of walks costly walks set up a clutch two-RBI double by Ramnes Karben. He also scored himself off an error.

Stunned by the Rays’ late sneak attack, IT&E could not muster two runs to extend it into extra innings.

The Little Legals worked out an early 3-1 lead in the opening frame off three hits. Jeff Castro led off with a hit and made it around, Mark Manahane smashed an RBI triple, and Quinton Deleon Guerrero an RBI single.

The Legals then added two more runs in the second off an RBI rip by Joe Camacho and a passed ball, but McDonald’s got a run back in the bottom frame from an RBI single by Anthony Fruit.

Then the Legals’ Vincent Ogo stole home in the third inning for a 6-2 edge and some pitching woes for McDonald’s contributed to a five-run tear by the Legals in the fourth.

McDonald’s managed to bring around two runs in the top of the fifth inning, but was not able to climb out of the hole.

The Legals drew 13 bases on balls in the game to compliment its seven hits.