Legals, Pirates trounce foes

The Bridge Capital Pirates’ Charles McDonald waits for the pitch during their game against the Twins in the Majors division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball last Saturday at the Miguel
“Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (Jon Perez)

The Kagman Little Legals continued with their march on top, while the Bridge Capital Pirates resumed their winning ways as both teams dispatched their respective opponents in the Majors division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball.

Gunner Sablan homered and tossed five innings of a four-hit game to help the Little Legals blank the Natibu Sports Association Braves, 9-0, in last Saturday’s game at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

Sablan, with two outs at the top of the first, belted a solo shot to join teammate G-Boy Pangelinan, the Talaabwogh Falcons’ Noah Aguon, and Deandrey Cruz of the Bridge Capital Pirates on the list of players who have made a homer this season. The Pirates’ Charles McDonald homered for the second time during their game against the Twins last Saturday.

Sablan, who walked in the third, went 2-for-3 with a two-RBI double in the fourth, while Benji Palacios drove in three runs after going 2-for-3 at the plate. Austin Diaz had an RBI single in the fourth inning and scored on Sablan’s double before striking out in the sixth.

The Little Legals pitcher also had 11 strikeouts and walked only one batter—Fabio Norita at the bottom of the third—before Gregorio Pangelinan relieved him in the sixth. Sablan moved to shortstop when Pangelinan came in.

Pangelinan, after Joel Borja got on base on a Sablan throwing error, forced Jylon Sablan to ground out to first baseman Palacios and then consecutively retired Angel Deleon Guerrero and Ethan Magofna to complete the shutout victory.

Borja had two hits, both singles, against Sablan and Pangelinan. Jylon Sablan also singled, while Magofna had a double in the game. Borja was also in scoring position twice at third base.

Meanwhile, McDonald’s solo homer at the top of the second pushed the Pirates’ lead to 9-0 and his team ended up crushing the Twins, 22-3.

He went 2-for-2 with a double in the first inning, aside from scoring three runs and four RBIs before walking twice after belting his second-inning homer.

Joey Dela Cruz was 3-for-4, all singles, adding two RBIs and three runs, while Cruz had three runs and an RBI after going 3-for-5. The Pirates combined for 16-for-29 or had a .551 batting average.

J.R. Suel had three RBIs, including a two-RBI double in the first inning, and made three runs, while Josh Atalig went 2-for-3 with an RBI double and four runs.

Noah Iguel pitched for two innings and was tagged with one earned run on one hit with four strikeouts and one walk, while Cruz tossed a no-hitter, fanned six, and walked three.

MINOR DIVISION
Yankees 9, Comets 4
Mish Yokota had an inside-the-park grand slam to help the Yankees establish a five-run lead. Justin Garde, Roman Teigita, and Matthew Tomokane each walked to load up the bases, setting up Yokota’s grand slam.

Chris Agulto and Joshua Yowrmad walked the Yankees eight times in the two innings they played.

The Yankees were leading after two innings when the game was discontinued due to the smoke coming from a nearby fire. Only 13 minutes were left in the one-hour time limit.