KHS still undefeated in girls fast-pitch

 The Kagman High School Lady Ayuyus remain ahead of the defending champion Lady Manta Rays of Saipan Southern High School as both teams pegged wins in this week’s Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization girls fast-pitch softball matches held at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

KHS defeated the Marianas High School’s Lady Dolphins (0-2), 12-4, on Wednesday to start a winning streak of three in a row, while the Lady Mantas evened their win-loss card to 1-1 after surviving the Mount Carmel School Lady Knights (0-1), 9-6, last Monday.

The season continues at “Tan Ko” Field on Monday at 4pm with top-ranked KHS taking on the Lady Knights.

KHS 12, MHS 4

MHS managed its four runs off two hits in the first inning as Lady Ayuyus pitcher Tracy Pelep struggled to find her zone.

Her teammates picked her up, however, with an eight-run answer off six hits in the bottom frame.

The Lady Ayuyus then tapped reliever Zerah Castro to the mound at the start of the second inning and she shut down the Lady Dolphins for the remaining six innings.

MHS’ defense hung around for a couple of frames, but KHS went on to add three more runs in the fourth off another handful of base smashes and a final in the fifth inning for good measure.

KHS’ Mikaela Borja swung 2-for-3 with two runs, while Castro, Betty Kanai, and Janelle Brel all batted 2-for-2 with a run.

KHS’ Castro had seven hits and a walk through five scoreless innings.

SSHS 9, MCS 6

SSHS worked up an early 5-1 lead in the opening frame off three hits. Cathy Amandus drilled a shot past the shortstop, Keanah Deleon Guerrero belted a triple, and Annalisa Blas lifted a shot to centerfield before making their way to the plate. Tara Ramon and Marlena Castro also came around to score.

Lady Knights’ Kim Sablan broke the ice for her team in the bottom frame, but KHS’ top of the lineup went on the attack again in the second inning for a couple of more runs off two base rips hammered out by Tamleen Ada-Hocog and Deleon Guerrero, to shoot them ahead, 7-1.

MCS pulled around on five hits in the bottom frame in an effort to battle back, but they ran out of time as the match was declared over after just three innings.

Both teams scored two runs in the third inning, each from three hits.

SSHS’ Ramon scored twice, Amandus batted 2-for-2 with a run and a base on balls. Deleon Guerrero and Blas, meanwhile, went 2-for-2 with a run and Ada-Hocog batted 2-for-3 with a run. MCS’ Jasmine Che swung 2-for-2 with two runs in the loss.

Winning pitcher Amandus allowed five runs off nine hits and four walks with a strikeout.