NMI blanks Guam in Senior League

Team CNMI remained undefeated in the Senior League division after completing a 4-0 shutout win over Guam in the 2015 Asia Pacific Junior, Senior, and Big League Regional Baseball Tournament yesterday at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

CNMI head coach Lawrence Camacho signals Roke Tenorio to run toward home in their Senior League game against Guam yesterday in the 2015 Asia Pacific Junior, Senior, and Big League Regional Baseball Tournament at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field. (Jon Perez)

The defending Asia Pacific champion scored three times in the top of the third inning with Craig Aguon adding one more run in the fourth before joining hands with Franco Nakamura in completing the shutout win.

Virgil Secharmidal, with one out after Aguon grounded out on a 5-3 play, doubled to left and reached third on a Roke Tenorio single. The CNMI catcher later scored on an error by Guam centerfielder Tino Muna, while Tenorio made it 2-0 on another miscue from their Southern island neighbors.

After Nakamura flied out to center, Henry Lizama drove in Nathan Camacho, who got on base with a single and moved to second on a passed ball, with an RBI double. Henry Lizama had a high fly ball to center to end the inning.

In the fourth inning, Aguon got on base on a fielding error by Guam shortstop Reed Seman before reaching home on a Roke Tenorio RBI single.

Ethan Babauta pitched two innings in start as he held Guam to two hits while striking out one batter. He both had 1-2-3 innings, highlighted by a double play in the bottom of the first.

Nathan Camacho and Franco Nakamura combined for four shutout innings as they held Guam to two hits while fanning six and walking one batter.

Aguon closed out for Team CNMI as he forced Jared Flores to an infield fly, while Athan Yatar grounded to first baseman Camacho. Aguon struck out Jarred Sarrosa to seal CNMI’s fourth straight win, while Guam dropped to an even 2-2 record.

Secharmidal went 2-for-4 with a double and one run, while Tenorio scored once on a 2-for-4 plate appearance.

Philippines 12, Hong Kong 5
In the other Senior League game, the Philippines bounced back from a 6-12 loss to Guam when it kept Hong Kong winless.

Luis Minana tossed five innings in relief where he was tagged with all the earned runs on nine hits, while fanning five and walking two.

Team Philippines got 10 hits against Hong Kong pitchers Major Lee and Wilson Yiu with Daniel Magsadia blasting a two-run inside-the-park homer in a four-run second inning.

JUNIOR LEAGUE
Chinese-Taipei 28, CNMI 0
Chinese-Taipei continues to mow down its opponents with another shutout win over the hosts’ Junior League team.

Liu Cheng Fu and Liu Ji Hong alternated on the mound for Chinese-Taipei, holding the CNMI to two hits while combining for four strikeouts and one walk.

The defending champion’s pitching duo just forced the host team to hit fly balls and grounders that were fielded cleanly by their teammates.

Australia 11, Guam 3
Australia used a seven-run first inning barrage as enough cushion in keeping Guam winless after four games.

Michael Tovey drove in two runs with a double in the first inning, while Cayden Hancock went 3-for-4 with three runs and a double.

In other games, the CNMI was leading Guam, 5-4, in the top of fourth in their Big League match last night, while Chinese-Taipei was scheduled to face the Philippines in the final tiff of the day. Final results of neither match were unavailable at press time.