Cubs win pitching duel in U25

The GSM Cubs won a pitching duel against the Tanapag Falcons to squeeze out a 4-3 win in the Under-25 division of the Saipan Baseball League last Tuesday night at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

The Cubs’ pair of Joe Palacios and Keoni Kaipat shared the pitching duties against the Falcons with the former lasting four innings as a starter and the latter closing out the game. Palacios gave up one earned run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts, while Kaipat surrendered two runs on one hit, fanned out two, and also walked two.

Juan Palacios started for the Falcons and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits with two walks, while A.J. Evangelista pitched three scoreless innings of one-hit game.

The Cubs batted only 0.258 (8-for-31) with Nokki Saralu going 0-for-4, while Peyton Lizama went 0-for-3. Fortunately, Angel Palacios and Verlance Secharmidal stepped up for the Cubs, combining for 4-for-7.

Palacios had an RBI single in the second and scored on Kiku Lizama’s RBI triple moments later. Secharmidal, meanwhile, had a double and stole home.

The Falcons had a worse batting record, combining for 4-for-23 (0.174) with Ian Norita and Barry Sunumai each going 0-for-3 and Evangelista and Bradley Lieto hitting 0-for-2.

Jay Kalen, Frankie Lifoifoi, and Frankie Lieto scored for the Falcons with the former having a single, stealing second, and advancing to third on a wild pitch before touching home plate on an Ace Palacios RBI single.

Lifoifoi was hit by a pitch and reached home plate on a throwing error, while Lieto had a bunt single, advanced to second and third on errors, and scored the Falcons’ last run.

MASTERS
Saisei 32, Papa Bears 19
Hector Efraim homered, scored four times, and had five RBIs in leading last year’s finalist Saisei to the blowout win over the Papa Bears last week.

Saisei went 25-for-51 (0.490) with Efraim and Lefty Shiro going 4-for-6 each. Taylor Germance hit 4-for-7, while Otis Olkeriil ended up with 3-for-5. Shiro also had four runs and two RBIs, while Germance scored three times and had five RBIs behind two doubles. Olkeriil finished with three runs, a triple, and four RBIs.

Glen Camacho led Papa Bears’ losing cause after going 4-for-5, including a bases-clearing triple in the fourth where they scored seven runs in an attempt to make a comeback. He also had two runs, five RBIs, and two triples.