Iguel, Sablan top SML batting chart

The Ol’Aces leadoff man Jesus Iguel and Tan Holdings-Brewers slugger Manny Sablan both have nine hits in 17 at bats to share top honors in the category with similar 0.529 batting averages.

Iguel and Sablan are heading six others swinging at 0.400 or better with four other batters maintaining a 0.350 hitting rate or better, according to Saipan Major League Baseball Association’s latest standings as of June 4.

Joining the co-leaders on the list are the Ol’Aces’ Juan Iguel (0.500), Yankees’ Chris Camacho (0.429), Brewers’ Roy Celis (0.412), Fielders’ Anthony Tenorio (0.412), Brewers’ Byron Kaipat (0.400), D-9ers’ Isaiah Lizama (0.400), and the Yankees’ Dave Camacho Jr. (0.381), Ben Jones Jr. (0.375), Robert Bansil (0.368), and Gary Cruz (0.350); statistics were based on at least 16 at bats.

Kaipat and Chris Camacho lead the league in runs batted in (RBIs) with 11 each, however Sablan (9) is well in the mix.

Yankees’ Jerome Delos Santos and Aces Nokki Saralu each have a home run under their belts so far this year, and Dave Camacho Jr. and Ben Jones Jr. both lead in triples with two apiece.

Celis, Juan Iguel, and Tenorio all have three doubles so far, while Sablan and Saralu have both crossed the plate a league-best 10 times.

In pitching, Yankees’ Joshua Jones finished his season with three wins and gave up just two earned runs through 29 innings for a league-low 0.62 Earned Run Average (ERA).

Brewers’ Thomas Camacho (1-0) holds the second spot with one earned run allowed through 10 and 1/3 innings for an ERA of 0.87, while Fielders’ Brandon Santos holds an even 1.00 ERA after giving up just one earned run through nine frames.

Brewers’ Vince Cepeda (1-0/2ER/14.2IP/1.23ERA), Aces’ Benwachi Taisacan (0-1/3ER/12IP/2.25ERA), Angels’ Franco Flores (1-1/5ER/20IP/2.25ERA), Fielders’ Elton Santos (1-2/11ER/25IP/3.96ERA), Masters’ Ben Duenas (1-1/8ER/16IP/4.50ERA) and Aces’ Juan Iguel (1-1/7ER/13.1IP/4.73ERA) rounded out the rest of the field.

Joshua Jones struck out 68 batters before heading off to play college ball last week and currently holds bragging rights in the category ahead of Elton Santos (33) and Cepeda (27).

Meanwhile, in the team standings, Saipan Stevedore Co.-Northern Yankees are in first place with a 5-1 record. Behind them come the Brewers (4-1), the defending champion St. Michael’s Medical Response-Angels (3-1), the Ol’Aces (3-2), the IP&E-Fielders (2-3), the Rep. Sylvester Iguel-Masters (1-4), and the Rep. Ray Yumul-D-9ers (0-6).

The season continues tonight at 6:30pm with the Brewers squaring off against the Angels at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.