CNMI earns World Series ticket

Players and officials of the CNMI Senior League All-Stars pose for a group photo after beating Guam, 8-6, in the finals of the 2014 Little League Asia Pacific-Middle East Regional Tournament last Saturday at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, Philippines.

Relief pitcher Nathan Camacho worked the mound for 4.3 innings and got the two quick outs at the bottom of the last inning, while Franko Nakamura closed out and recorded the last strikeout to help the CNMI win the regional tournament and earn a ticket to the World Series.

Camacho also hit a two-run, over-the-fence homer earlier at the top of the fifth inning, allowing the CNMI to reclaim the lead, 6-5. Guam got the sacrifice fly at the bottom of the fifth to tie the match for the last time, as the CNMI countered with two runs at the top of the seventh. Harry Nakamura had an RBI single to center field to break the deadlock, while Darion Jones blasted a single, stole second, and made it all the way home off a wild pitch and error at second base.

Now down 6-8, Guam felt the pressure early at the bottom of the seventh with its first two batters returning to the dugout off Camacho’s back-to-back strikeouts. Camacho was then called for two quick balls against the third batter before play was halted to clear the CNMI ace’s pitching count. Guam contended that Camacho was over the limit (95) since coming in for starting pitcher Jhace Palacios in the third inning and should be relieved.

Officials huddled and found out Camacho’s pitching count reached 96 so as a penalty to the CNMI, Guam’s third batter had a free pass to first base with still two outs. Gabriel Garza was next at bat for Guam and came up with an empty swing against the first pitch of Nakamura. Nakamura’s second pitch was way too high, while Garza made contact with the ball on the former’s third pitch, but it was called a foul with the leather flying back at home plate. Nakamura then threw a quick one on his fourth pitch and this caught Garza looking and gave the CNMI the title win.

The Patrick Tenorio-managed squad defeated Guam in the exciting finals and notched a ticket to the World Series that will be held in Maine next month despite falling behind 0-2 after three and a half innings. Guam’s Kaimana Bamba blasted a two-run single at the bottom of the first inning to draw first blood in the finale.

Guam hung on to the lead in the next two innings, as the CNMI’s hitters were still looking for form. Then at the top of the fourth inning, the CNMI wisely went on a bunt binge and won the gamble, as it got two runs off the three bunts, while collecting two more from Guam’s wild pitches to grab the lead, 4-2. Jones led off for the CNMI at the top of the fourth and was driven home by Joseph Lifoifoi’s bunt. Lifoifoi also reached off A.J. Evangelista’s bunt, while Kelvin Deleon Guerrero and Craig Aguon posted the two other runs off Guam’s errors.

A two-run homer from Jacob Concepcion at the bottom of the fourth inning allowed Guam to reclaim the lead, 5-4, but the CNMI would not be denied as Camacho retaliated with his own two-run homer to put the Commonwealth on top anew and help the team withstand Guam’s fight back in the last two innings with a steady performance on the mound.

Joining Camacho, Nakamura, Evangelista, Palacios, Deleon Guerrero, and Aguon on the champion squad are Jessie Brel, Jerald Cabrera, Jeffrey Dela Cruz, Michael Muna, Jobe Reyes, Melvin Sakisat, and Virolanson Secharmidal. Anthony Leon Guerrero and Jack Deleon Guerrero are the coaches.