Enforcers, Falcons outclass foes

A Kagman Enforcers player gets ready to bat during the top of the seventh inning of their Senior League game against the Comets in the SLLB last Sunday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Kagman Enforcers and Falcons downed their respective opponents in the 2016 Saipan Little League Baseball last Sunday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

In the Senior League division, the Enforcers eked out a 1-0 victory over the Comets, while in the Junior League tiff, the Falcons edged the Red Sox, 6-4.

Shakobe Rangamar pitched in no relief for the Enforcers and threw a three-hitter while striking out eight and walking only one. He also helped the Enforcer score their lone run in the match with his single at the top of the first inning bringing Nat Nogis home.

With Rangamar working the mound for the Enforcers, the Comets did not make it past second base. The ace pitcher and Enforcers’ defense was so steady that the Comets were called for 1-2- 3 innings in the first, second, fourth, and seventh. No more than more batters were able to step up to the plate for the Comets in each of the seven-inning match.

Rangamar began the fourth with a strikeout on Brandon Pua, while Austin Indalecio went back to the dugout after a 5-3 putout play. The Comets’ third batter—Rejay Ishikawa—also went down early off a 1-3 putout play.

Meanwhile, in the Junior League game, Angel Iguel scored off a passed ball for the go-ahead run, while Aven Evangelista made the insurance for the Falcons off a sacrifice out from Spencer Dickinson.

It was a come-from-behind win for the Falcons, as they faced a 2-4 deficit after three innings. The Red Sox took the upper hand at the bottom of the third, thanks to Dai Podziewski and Jode Reyes, who each scored a two-run single. The Falcons got their two runs from Iguel and Mark Norita, who made it home off the Red Sox’ errors at left field in the first and third inning.

The eventual winners then moved one run away from tying the match in the fourth inning after Justin Cangco reached off a wild pitch, while a Tyrese Camacho sacrifice fly evened up the game in the fifth inning. A 1-2-3 inning for both teams in the fifth inning kept the tiff in a standoff before the Falcons made it home twice to put pressure on the Red Sox in the last inning.

The Red Sox had a lot of chances to score in the final inning as they loaded the bases with two outs. However, Dickinson, who relieved Camacho, struck out Mingko Taimanao for the last out. Dickinson earlier fanned out Koby Santos for the second out in the seventh inning, while Henry Fleming was called for the first out as he was beaten at second base.