Little Legals, Comets blow out foes

A Comets player gets ready to run from third base, while an Ol’Aces player watches the pitcher’s throw during the top of the second inning of their Major division game in the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball last Sunday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Little Legals and Comets earned lopsided victories in the Major division of the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball last Sunday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

The Comets eased past the Docomo Ol’Aces in the second game, 19-4, while the Little Legals crushed the Twins, 36-1, in the curtain-raiser last weekend.

The Little Legals took only four innings to post the early victory via 10-run mercy rule, going for the kill at the top of fourth after collecting 18 runs. Shortstop Delbert Sablan and starting pitching Kaipo Dikito teamed up in the Little Legals’ juggernaut in the fourth inning after combining for nine RBIs. Sablan went 3-for-3 at bat in that inning alone and scored three runs and five RBIs. Dikito was 2-for-3 at bat and made three runs and four RBIs.

Eight of the Little Legals’ top of the order reached home plate in their first at bat and eight too in their second, while Dikito and Sablan gave the team their last two runs after having their third straight trip at the plate.

Sablan ended up with a perfect performance at the plate, going 6-for-6, as he earlier hit a double in the first inning and singles in the second and third. He had a two-RBI single in the second inning where the Little Legals opened a double-digit lead, 16-1, after tallying eight runs in that frame.

While the Little Legals scored one run after another in the first two innings and in the fourth, the hapless Twins hit the board only at the bottom of the second when their catcher Francis Delos Santos reached off a passed ball from Dikito.

Dikito pitched for only two innings, but managed to strike out six batters in his short stint on the mound. Lucio Aldan and Jason Agulto also pitched for the Little Legals and combined for five more strikeouts and stranded four runners to cap the one-sided game.

In the other Major division match last Sunday, the defending champion Comets needed only four innings too, to pound the Ol’Aces. The Comets built a 14-2 lead after the first two innings en route to their fourth win in five games.

The Comets are in second place in the team standings behind the Falcons, who are unbeaten after five matches following a 9-2 triumph over the NSA Braves last Saturday.

The Falcons had a sweep last Saturday as they also won their assignments in the Junior and Senior League divisions. The Falcons edged the Ol’Aces, 4-1, in the Junior League tiff, while they beat the Enforcers, 5-1, in the Senior League match.