Braves spoil Falcons, get Major title

The Braves’ Grafton Howard waits for a pitch from the Falcons during their playoff game for the pennant in the Major division of the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball early this month at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. The Braves and the Falcons met anew last Sunday with the former taking a 7-6 victory in their title match. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Braves foiled the Falcons’ bid for a sweep of the three championships in the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball after pulling off a 7-6 victory in their title game in the Major division last Sunday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

The Braves scored three runs in the first inning and four in the third to build enough cushion en route to winning the finale dubbed as the “Battle of the North.” Players from both teams are from Tanapag and other villages on the northern side of the island.

The Falcons, who advanced to the title match following a semis victory against the Little Legals last Saturday, were looking to make it three in a row for the group, as their Junior and Senior League squads earlier defeated the Comets and the Enforcers in the finals, respectively. However, the Braves, who lost this season’s pennant to the Falcons in a playoff game, spoiled the party as the eventually champions managed to hit their target early and withstand the latter’s comeback bid.

The Braves established a 3-1 advantage at the end of the first inning, negating the solo homer that Keoni Serrano blasted for the Falcons to start the top of the opening frame. After Serrano’s homer, the Braves quickly stepped up on defense and booted out the Falcons’ next three batters. The Braves then knotted the count at the bottom of the first off Joel Borja’s run from the Falcons’ error at shortstop, while Taisei Desebel gave the former the lead when he reached off Jonathan Riungel’s wild pitch. Third batter Heath Camacho also scored off a fielder’s choice and the Braves could have added one more than when Patrick Celis made it to third before he was stranded as Ringuel got back-to-back strikeouts and Angelo Igitol was beaten to first to end the inning.

At the top of the second, the Falcons moved within one, thanks to Noah Aguon’s run off a fielder’s choice. The pennant champion then went to steal the lead, 5-3, after they shut down the Braves at the bottom of the second and registered three runs at the top of the third. Dionave Sablan had an RBI single and Chris Gonzales and Riungel scored off a fielder’s choice and an error, respectively, to help the Falcons grab the driver’s seat.

However, not for long as the Braves countered with four runs at the bottom of the third to regain the upper hand, 7-5. Desebel had one run off a wild pitch, Jylon Sablan’s single brought Camacho home, while Tristan Norita did the same with his triple driving Sablan in, and Celis gave the Braves their fourth run off a sacrifice fly from Igitol.

The Braves, who made it to the finals after eliminating 2016 champion Comets, hung on to the two-run lead as neither team scored in the fourth and fifth inning. Then with the Braves playing home, the Falcons had one final chance to mount a comeback at the top of the sixth. Serrano led off and kept the Falcons in contention as he hit a double and was brought home by Riungel’s single. Now down by only one with no out, Gonzales was next at bat, but flied out with Braves pitcher Camacho catching the pop fly, leaving Riungel stranded at first. The Falcons pitcher eventually went down on a double play, as Braves shorts stop picked up a shot from Joey Sharry and throw to second baseman Desebel, who tagged out Riungel. Desebel then threw to Norita at first base for the tag out on Sharry and a perfect ending on the Braves’ title bid in the division.

Meanwhile, the Little Legals won the battle for third place after edging the Comets, 4-3.

Derence Diaz logged the go-ahead run at the bottom of the fifth inning, as he scored off the Comets’ miscue at second base. The Little Legals kept the shaky lead at the top of the sixth inning when pitcher Gunner Sablan fanned out the second and third Comets batter and the leadoff was beaten to second.