Comets end skid against Falcons

The Comets’ Ethan Babauta delivers a pitch during their Senior League game against the Falcons in the SLBB last Saturday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Comets scored their first win against the Falcons, 6-2, in the Senior League game in the 2016 Saipan Little League Baseball last Saturday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The Comets’ defense forced the Falcons to reach home plate only two times in the complete seven-inning match and allowed the former to end their two-game losing skid against the latter. The Falcons prevailed in their first meeting, 4-0, last Feb. 28 and followed it up with a 6-4 triumph in the second outing last March 6. Their final showdown in the four-round robin regular season will be on April 3.

The Falcons’ runs came from Neldreyton Skerei’s RBI triple at the bottom of the third and sacrifice out in the fifth. The Comets also got one run in the third inning off an RBI single from starting pitcher Ethan Babauta, who hit another RBI single in the fifth to lift his squad to a 3-2 advantage. The Comets drew their third run at the top of the fifth from Jimmy Demapan, who reached off a passed ball.

The Comets went on to gain more cushion at the top of the sixth inning after bagging three additional runs—all came from RBI walks that brought Lorenzo Sebu, Demapan, and N-Nes Snech home.

At the bottom the sixth, the Falcons had chances to cut the deficit, but were denied, as the Comets had a double play at first and second to end the inning. The Falcons were called for a 1-3 putout play earlier for the first out.

A 1-2-3 inning at the top of the seventh gave the Falcons another opportunity to mount a late comeback. However, the Comets countered with their own defensive stops to spoil the Falcons anew.

Sebu closed out for the Comets, relieving Babauta in the sixth and allowing a walk to Falcons leadoff batter Kimo Angailen in the seventh. Next at bat for the Falcons was Ace Evangelista, who flied out to leftfield, while Skerei was struck out, and Henry Aguon advanced to first on a hit by pitch.

With two outs and Aguon eventually moving to second and Angailen reaching third, the Falcons badly needed a good hit from Jester Kintaro. However, Sebu frustrated the leftfielder with a strikeout to wrap up the match.

JUNIOR LEAGUE
Enforcers 11,
Red Sox 8
The Kagman Enforcers closed out strong to beat the Red Sox for the third time this season.

The Enforcers collected seven runs in the last three innings to turn a deadlock after four innings (4-4) to a 3-run win.

Ignacio Mendiola led the win, as he went 2-for-2 in the homestretch and recorded three RBIs. He blasted a two-run triple at the top of the fifth and also reached home of a passed ball to lift the Enforcers to a 7-4 advantage. The Red Sox equalized at the bottom behind Jared Reyes’ RBI single and two runs off the Enforcers’ defensive lapses.

Mendiola was still on target at the top of the sixth, unloading an RBI single to bring the lead back to the Enforcers, 9-7. The Enforcers’ other run was courtesy of Cabrera, who scored off a passed ball. The Enforcers also got two runs at the top of the last inning from the Red Sox’s miscues for an 11-7 advantage.

An RBI single from Jared Reyes trimmed the lead to 3, but that was it for the Red Sox, as Chris Achas earned two straight strikeouts and a few minutes later shortstop Pedro Maratita caught a fly for the last out.

BIG LEAGUE
Islanders 8, Comets 6
The Islanders foiled the Comets’ bid for a sweep last Saturday after pulling off a close win.

Nate Camacho made things happen for the Islanders at the bottom of the last inning, as he struck out Larry Sebaklim for the final out. Camacho also got an earlier strikeout in the last inning for the second out, while the first out came off a 6-3 play against Comets leadoff batter Jesse Kalen.

After the early out, the Comets threatened the Islanders as Franko Nakamura made an RBI single and the former posted their second run in the inning off their foes’ error.