Fielders upset Braves to enter finals

The Fielders huddle before heading back to the field for the bottom of the sixth inning of their playoff game against the Braves in the Big League division of the 2014 Saipan Little League Baseball last Tuesday night at the Francisco ?Tan Ko? Palacios Ballfield. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

The Fielders denied the Braves a return trip to the finals after eking out a 5-4 upset in their playoff game in the Big League division of the 2014 Saipan Little League Baseball last Tuesday night at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.
The Fielders scored all five runs at the top of the fourth inning to take control of the game and hung in there, foiling the Braves’ comeback bid with Jose Lizama playing steady on the mound and the rest of his teammates stepping up on defense. The Fielder face the defending champions Padres in the winner-take-all finale today.

The Padres, who won last year’s Big League title against the Braves, 2-1, advanced to the finals first after incidentally beating the Braves in the battle between the Top 2 finishers in the regular season this year, 4-3. The back-to-back close losses came after the Braves took the pennant away from the Padres this season.

A two-run single from Javon Borja put the Fielders in the board at the top of the fourth and the team added three more runs off Khobby Kaipat’s RBI single, Davin Ada’s sacrifice fly, and Fermin Renguul’s stolen base.

The Braves also lit up the scoreboard in the fourth, but got only two runs off Ray Saralu’s two-RBI single to still fall behind, 2-5. An RBI single from Jeremy Atalig at the bottom of the fifth cut the deficit to two, 3-5, and the Braves went on to move within one in the sixth inning with Frankie Norita connecting on an RBI triple. The Braves could have either tied or stolen the lead in the sixth inning, as they got off to a strong start in that frame with leadoff batter Frankie Lieto hitting his target and Renguul committing a throwing error allowing the runner to advance to second base. Norita was next at bat and his triple drove home Lieto. With Norita at third and no outs, the Braves had a lot of chances to score the game-tying run or grab the lead, however, Lizama was there to spoil the party, as he struck out the next three batters.

Despite the missed opportunity, the Braves remained in the game, as they stranded two Fielders runners at the top of the seventh and last inning. The Braves got a 5-3 putout play on Fielders leadoff batter Ada before second pitcher Ricky Joe Riungel walked the next two batters, who were then stuck to first and second base after Lieto replaced Riungel and got two strikeouts to end the top of the seventh.

At the bottom of the seventh, the Fielders also recorded a 5-3 putout play against Riungel.

Next up to the plate was catcher Jun Rabauliman, who got a full count and was given another chance at bat when Fielders catcher Quinson Blas failed to catch a high foul ball from the former.

Rabauliman returned to the batter’s box anew and was struck out as he came up with an empty swing. The Braves catches could have let the ball go and walked to first, as Lizama threw a near-shoulder high pitch. Lizama went on to get his 12th strikeout in the win-or-go-home game.

With two outs, the pressure was on for third batter Atalig, who was caught looking when Lizama made his first pitch. Lizama’s second was way too low and Atalig did not bite the bait. On the third pitch, Atalig made contact with the ball, which headed in between the first and second base and before it landed, Renguul bent and caught the line drive to end the game and hand the Fielders the second and last finals berth.

The Fielders forced a date with the Braves for the last finals seat after eliminating the Lions last Thursday, 5-2.