Lancaster pitches Brewers to championship

GSM Brewers manager Mark Flores made a bold decision in giving the ball to rookie pitcher Lancaster Secharmidal in the final game of the 2015 Saipan Baseball League championship series.

The GSM Brewers celebrate their three-peat title win after beating the Falcons last Wednesday night in Game 5 of the 2015 Saipan Baseball League finals at the Francisco M. “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.
(Jon Perez)

The lefty 19-year-old hurler didn’t disappoint as he helped the Brewers clinch a third straight crown in Wednesday night’s winner-take-all Game 5 at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.

Secharmidal tossed seven innings, six in shutout fashion, while Pat Alepuyo and Diego Camacho drove in two runs each as the Brewers made short work of the Falcons, 10-1, in the deciding game of the series.

Secharmidal, a former Saipan Little League standout, gave up four hits while striking out nine and walking two in a superb performance on the mound that was capped with a finals most valuable player honor after the match.

Frankie Lieto, who had a lead off walk, scored the Falcons’ lone run on a fielding error by Brewers shortstop Nokki Saralu in the top of the seventh.

Secharmidal thrice had 1-2-3 innings aided by the Brewers’ defense.

In the top of the sixth, Secharmidal struck out Falcons lead off batter Lamarc Iguel. Juan Iguel did get on base on a throwing error by Brewers second baseman Diego Camacho to put a runner on base.

A.J. Lizama struck out swinging for the second out but Juan Iguel left first base and Brewers catcher Manny Sablan quickly made the throw to first baseman Byron Kaipat.

Juan Iguel was tagged out on a rundown play as Kaipat tossed the ball to a waiting Camacho at second base.

The Brewers, enjoying an 8-1 lead entering the bottom of the seventh, tacked in two more runs to finally put the game away.

Jun Rabauliman, with one out, was hit by a Haini Blas pitch and then stole second base. Lenny Sablan grounded to second but Lizama could not handle the ball allowing the former to safely reach first base with Rabauliman scoring in the same play.

Saralu took Blas’ first pitch to deep center field for an RBI double bringing Sablan home for a 10-1 lead.

Veteran pitcher Roy Celis then closed out for the Brewers.

Celis, after the Brewers’ defense stranded Juan Iguel, who grounded a single to left, in the top of the eighth, only needed 12 pitches in the ninth to seal the win.

The Brewers’ defense had a quick 6-4-3 double play after Camacho caught a Goru Iskawa line drive to tag Frankie Lieto, who had a lead off single against Celis, and then made the throw to Kaipat.

The game ended when Celis forced L.J. Norita to another grounder for a 4-3 putout play.

The Brewers and Falcons split their elimination round games with the former scoring a 10-4 win while the latter bounced back with an 8-5 decision.

The Brewers, also the pennant champions, dispatched the IP&E Fielders in two games in the semifinals, while the Falcons followed suit with the same result against the Saipan Stevedore Yankees.

The Brewers’ title defense bid was also threatened after the Falcons went up 2-1 after a 9-6 Game 3 win. The Brewers rallied for an 8-5 triumph in Game 4 to force the deciding match.

The Brewers completed its back-to-back title hunt last year with a 10-9 win over the Yankees in Game 4 of the finals.