Braves take Senior League pennant

The NSA Braves first baseman and a Falcons runner get ready for the next play during an earlier game in the Senior League division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Jon Perez)

The Braves labored through 11 innings to bring down the Falcons, 9-8, and win the pennant in the Senior League division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball last Saturday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

Tyrese Camacho delivered the dagger for the Braves, as he singled at the bottom of the 11th inning, stole second and third, and then reached off a passed ball from the Falcons’ Jericho Jones. The Braves finished the regular season with a 9-3 record, while the Falcons were at close second with their 8-4 mark.

The Falcons were aiming for a victory that would have forced a playoff for the pennant and they boosted their chances of winning in regulation, leading at 6-5, and one out away from closing the bottom of the seventh. Earlier, the Falcons scored three runs off the Braves throwing errors at the top of the seventh, turning a 3-5 deficit to a shaky one-run lead.

At the bottom of the seventh, Leveque Iguel led off for the Braves, walked, stole second, and moved to third off a fielder’s choice. Vicente Camacho was next at bat and went down on a 6-3 play, while third batter Josenio Alvarez also went back to their dugout quickly after an infield fly at first. With two outs and Iguel 90 feet away from the game-tying run, Tom Agulto stepped up to the plate and faced relief pitcher Joel Norita. Agulto eventually flied out but it was after Iguel stole home to knot the count and send the game to an extra inning.

Neither team scored in the first extra inning, as the best that the Falcons and Braves could do were walked to first.

Then at the top of the second extra inning, Aven Evangelista shattered the deadlock, 7-6, when he walked and advanced to second and third off the Braves errors before making it home off a passed ball. Norita had a chance to make it an 8-6 advantage when he also walked and stole second, but closer Iguel struck out Maratita for the third out. Iguel earlier fanned leadoff batter Kavika Fernandez and then worked out a 1-3 play on Isaiah Teigita for the first two outs at the top of the ninth inning.

At the bottom ninth, the Braves tied the match anew, 7-7, as Iguel’s sacrifice fly brought home leadoff batter Tyrese Camacho. Vicente Camacho’s line drive was then caught by Fernandez for the second out, while Josenio Alvarez singled and stole second to boost the Braves’ chances of ending the pennant-deciding match. However, Alvarez was stuck there after Falcons shortstop Maratita caught a fly from Agulto.

The nip-and-tuck battle continued in the 10th inning with Jones putting the Falcons on top anew, 8-7, as he moved to first of a fielder’s choice, made it to second and third off the Braves’ miscues, and reached off a passed ball. The Falcons then had several chances to gain more cushion as they had runners and second and third, but Braves catcher Agulto caught a fly from Evangelista to end the inning. Earlier, Agulto also saved the day for the Braves when he picked up the ball and threw to third, allowing J.P. Celis to tag out Arby Yaguel.

Celis had his moments, too, at the bottom of the 10th inning, as he led off with a triple and reached off Maratita’s error. The Falcons then booted out the next three batters of the Braves to stretch the match to its fourth extra inning.

At the top of the 11th inning, the Falcons had a rough start when Teigita went down on a 4-3 play. Norita then singled, but remained there when Iguel struck out Maratita. Another 4-3 putout play—Yaguel out—ended the inning and eventually the Falcons’ hopes for the pennant, as the Braves finally wrapped up the extended game at the bottom of the 11th.

Tyrese Camacho began the deciding-inning with a base hit, while Iguel flied out at home. Camacho then stole bases twice and with just one out and runners on first and second, he reached, thanks to a passed ball.

Meanwhile, the playoff round in the Senior and Junior League divisions will have to be played next week, as SLLB players and officials will be heading to Rota this weekend for the 2018 CNMI District Meet.