Previous Story
Saralu, Cepeda lead SBL awardees
GSM Brewers slugger Nokki Saralu and ace hurler Vince Cepeda led the list of individual awardees of the 2015 Saipan Baseball League, which ended its season last Wednesday at the Francisco M. Palacios ball field.
The Brewers, behind lefty Lancaster Secharmidal’s steady pitching, scored a 10-1 decision over the Falcons in last week’s Game 5 of the championship series to complete their three-peat title bid.
Secharmidal’s superb seven-inning, six in shutout fashion, performance on the mound held the Falcons to four hits, while also fanning nine and walking two that earned for him the finals most valuable player award.
Saralu earned the batting title going 20-for-37 with a .541 average or a .089 lead over closest pursuers Davie Matagolai of the Jets and Brewers teammate Jesse Brel, who both registered .452 for joint second place.
Saralu, who was named the regular season MVP, also topped the doubles department with six, just one ahead of the Saipan Stevedore Yankees’ Brian Camacho and two of the IP&E Fielders’ Cedric Ada.
Cepeda, on the other hand, was the regular starter on the mound for the Brewers where he helped the Mark Flores-managed squad to the pennant with an 8-2 record.
Cepeda was the ERA champion (1.05) and strikeout leader with 56 beating the Falcons’ Peter Lieto’s 55. His season-long brilliance also earned for him the league’s Pitcher of the Year honors.
The Falcons’ A.J. Lizama was the league’s home run champion and also clinched the Gold Glove award for infielders, while teammate Henry Iguel Jr. was named the Catcher of the Year.
Manager Doru Camacho was the league’s best manager after leading the Falcons, composed mostly of former Saipan Little League standouts, to a finals stint following a sweep of the No. 2 Yankees in the playoffs
The Fielders’ Verlance Secharmidal, who last Tuesday helped the IT&E Fielders clinch the Big League division crown, bagged the most triples award and was also named the Rookie of the Year, while the Brewers’ Flores clinched the Coach of the Year trophy.
Yankees teammates Gary Cruz and Jerome Delos Santos had the most RBIs and runs scored with 21 and 17, respectively, while the North Starz’ Ricardo Dela Cruz was the Gold Glove awardee for outfielders.
