Jets back on track, beat Red Sox

A Jets runner stomps his feet on the dish after beating Red Sox defenders to second base during the bottom of the fourth inning of their game in the Junior League last Monday at the Francisco ?Tan Ko? Palacios Ballfield. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

The Jets snapped a two-game losing skid after downing the Red Sox, 12-9, in the Junior League division of the 2014 Saipan Little League Baseball last Monday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The victory also put the Jets in a three-way tie for second place with the Comets and Falcons. The three squads hold similar 3-3 records, three wins behind the undefeated JPO Enforcers (6-0). The Red Sox remained at the bottom of the team standings with their 1-5 slate, while the Fielders complete the six-team field with their 2-4 card.

Down at 4-5, after three and a half innings, the Jets zoomed past the Red Sox at the bottom of the fourth with a seven-run push. The Jets got two earned runs, one stolen base and two runs each off passed balls and the Red Sox’s errors at shortstop.

The Red Sox tried to regain the lead, but could not produce enough runs, as they had only four in the last three innings. The defending champions missed a chance to extend the game when their first three batters were booted out at the top of the last inning. Chabo Leon Guerrero advanced to first off an error and moved to third off a wild pitch, but was eventually beaten to third base, while the Red Sox’s next two batters flied out to right and centerfield.

Fielders 16, Comets 7
Don Ada hit a two-run homer in the first inning to fuel the Fielders offense and power his team to victory over the Comets.
The Fielders got another run at the top of the first and went on to score in five of the remaining six innings to down the Comets. The Comets had shutouts in the first two innings before making two runs apiece in the next two, but went on silent mode anew in the fifth and sixth, making their three runs in the last inning useless.
Besides his homer in the opening inning, Ada gained three more runs and was 4-for-5 at the plate.

Enforcers 3, Falcons 2
In a low-scoring game, the JPO Enforcers nipped the Falcons.

Nathan Nogis made the go-ahead run, while Virgil Secharmidal preserved the lead after earning three straight strikeouts at the bottom of the last inning.

Nogis reached home off a fielding error from Falcons shortstop Benen Iguel at the top of the sixth inning with two outs and a runner on first. The Enforcers then failed to gain more cushion as Jordan Kosam was called for a 6-3 putout play.

At the bottom of the sixth, the Falcons’ Jay Kalen were two bases away from the equalizer with one out, but the Enforcers made a big defensive stop, nailing a double play. Secharmidal struck out Jeremy Ngiraked, while Enforcers catcher Shakobe Rangamar threw to third baseman Ethan Babauta, who tagged out Kalen.

Despite the missed opportunity, the Falcons stayed in the game after the Enforcers did not score at the top of the seventh. However, the Falcons suffered the same fate at the bottom of the inningas Secharmidal was unhittable, capping a complete game for the Enforcers with three early strikeouts.