Little Legals hammers Bank of Saipan

The Little Legals’ Kaipo Dikito prepares to pitch, while a Bank of Saipan runner gets ready to leave second base during the bottom of the fourth inning of their game in the Major division of the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball last Sunday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Little Legals walloped Bank of Saipan, 29-8, during their Major division game in the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball last Sunday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

A 16-run top of the third inning allowed the Little Legals to crush Bank of Saipan and end the weekend match after only four innings via 10-run mercy rule.

Before its third-inning juggernaut, the Little Legals was just ahead by 2, 6-4, and once fell behind, 2-4, after one complete inning. Anton Aguon had two RBIs and scored one run for Bank of Saipan, while Joaquin Lizama added one run for the team’s first and only taste of the lead.

Ryu Aldan hit an RBI double and then reached home plate on a passed ball for the Little Legals at the bottom of the first inning. The leftfielder then blasted a three-RBI triple in the second inning to grab the upper hand from Bank of Saipan. Jason Agulto chipped in one run at the top of the second, while Bank of Saipan had a 1-2-3 at the bottom.

After playing good defense against Bank of Saipan in the second inning, the Little Legals then turned to its offense to break the game wide open. Eight of the Little Legals’ top of the order batted twice and one went at bat three times at the top of the third, while seven made it home two times. Seven of the Little Legals runs were earned ones, while the rest were recorded off Bank of Saipan’s errors.

Anton, who closed out for Bank of Saipan, finally stopped the bleeding for his team, when he struck out Jon Diaz for the third out. However, there was nothing that Bank of Saipan could do to recover and it did not help that the squad countered with only two runs at the bottom of the third.

Way ahead, 22-6, the Little Legals still showed no mercy to Bank of Saipan, adding seven more runs at the top of the fourth. Pitcher Kaipo Dikito had a two-RBI single and scored one run in the penultimate inning, while the Little Legals recorded three more earned runs.

Down by 23, 29-6, Bank of Saipan was pressed to score at least 14 runs to continue the game. However, it was not up to the big task and fell way short after making only two. After Bank of Saipan got its second run, Delbert Sablan relieved Dikito at the mound and the closer struck out the next three batters to cap the Little Legals lopsided win.

Meanwhile, in the Junior League division, the Ol’Aces also eased past Bank of Saipan, 14-1.

Shane Mallens pitched in no relief for the Ol’Aces in six innings and threw a two-hitter. He also fanned out seven batters in routing Bank of Saipan, which scored only in the second inning with Chase Tenorio reaching home off an Ol’Aces error at third base.