Falcons take Junior League pennant

A Falcons’ runner dives safely to first base, beating the Enforcers’ Ignacio Mendiola during the bottom of the third inning of their tiebreak game for the pennant in the Junior League division of the SLLB yesterday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Falcons clinched the pennant in the Junior League division of the 2016 Saipan Little League Baseball after nosing out the Kagman Enforcers, 4-3, in a rubber match yesterday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

Spencer Dickinson went only 1-for-4 at the plate in the tiebreaker, but his lone hit—a two-RBI single—gave the Falcons enough cushion to pull off the close victory. Dickinson came up with a single at the deep right field and brought home I.J. Teigita and Angel Iguel at the bottom of the third inning. Aven Evangelista added one more run off Gloyd Martin’s error at home plate to lift the Falcons to a 4-1 advantage.

The Falcons scored their first run at the bottom of the second inning with starting pitcher Tyrese Camacho making it home off Pedro Maratita’s passed ball. The Enforcers, on the other hand, lit up the board first in the opening inning, thanks to Maratita’s single that brought Martin in.

The Enforcers then failed to reach home in the next two frames as they were called for 1-2-3 inning in the second with Camacho striking out the first two batters and the third going down on a 6-3 play. Camacho added another strikeout in the third were the Enforcers were also done after only three batters.

A Dennis Cabrera run in the fourth inning off the Falcons’ error at center field, followed by Chris Achas’ run from another defensive lapse from the eventual pennant champs in the fifth moved the Enforcers within one, 3-4.

However, that was it for the Enforcers as the Falcons made the necessary stops in the last two innings to preserve the shaky lead and escape with the tough win. The Falcons stranded Enforcers runners at third and second base after Camacho ended his 5.4 inning shift by fanning out Nygal Pangelinan for the second out. The Enforcers were called for the first out after leadoff batter Cabrera was beaten to third base. With two outs and Ignacio Mendiola at third and Daren Taitingfong at second, the Falcons wrapped up the top of the sixth with Iguel catching a fly ball from Achas.

The Enforcers also bungled a chance to make it home and tied the game at the top of the seventh and last inning when their first two batters went down on 6-3 and 4-3 putout plays. Evangelista, who played shortstop for the Falcons, teamed up with first baseman Zack Reyes in game-winning putout play on Maratita, leaving third batter J.P. Celis stranded at second.

The Falcons had to play an extra game against the Enforcers as the former were stunned by the Braves, 8-7, in the final regular season game last Saturday. The Falcons and the Enforcers ended up with similar 9-3 marks after the four-round robin preliminary.

The Braves denied the Falcons’ outright claim to the pennant, thanks to Jordan Babauta’s go-ahead run at the top of the seventh and Joe Tudela’s solid defense at the bottom. Babauta was the second batter in the penultimate inning, made a single, and advanced to second off a balk before heading all the way home off the Falcons’ booboo at second base. Tudela, on the other hand, picked up two short shots from leadoff batter Arby Yaguel and Max Pangelinan and threw to first base for two of the three quick outs. The second out was committed by Camacho, who hit a fly that was caught by Tudela.