Solid batting keeps Bears in contention

Four players from the Chalan Kanoa Bears are among the batting leaders in the 2018 Saipan Baseball League with A.J. Lizama claiming the top ranking based on the latest statistics released by the organizers.

The Bears (5-2) have won three straight games after a 14-4 loss to the defending champion Aces last March 9 to stay behind the unbeaten GSM (7-0)

A. J. logged a batting average of .586 to lead the individual standings as of April 2. He also had 12 RBIs to tie Franco Nakamura for the top spot. He was among the three players that had already hit a home run, joining Brian Camacho and Shane Yamada on the list.

Angel Palacios was at close second in the batting leaders with .583, while Henry Lizama, A.J.’s cousin, is ranked third with .579. Byron Kaipat of GSM (.563) and the Falcons’ J.J. Lifoifoi (.529) complete the Top 5.

GSM’s Jerome Delos Santos (.519), the Mariners’ Pat Tenorio (.500) and Yamada (.484), the Bears’ Kiku Lizama (.480), Titanium’s Juan Tenorio (.478), and the Mariners’ Ton Tenorio (.458) also made the batting leaders list.

Nakamura leads in runs scored category with 18, followed by the 17 of Lorenzo Sebaklim, while Ton Tenorio and Peter Lieto have 13 apiece, and A.J. Lizama and Delos Santos have 12 each.

Delos Santos currently has four doubles, while Kiku Lizama, Frankie Norita, Lamarc Iguel, and Ton Tenorio have three each. Kier Agda has the most triples with four, while Yamada, Nakamura, Camacho, Jose Lizama, and Pat Alepuyo have three apiece.

Delos Santos and Yamada are tied for second in RBIs with 10 apiece, while Agda, Ian Norita, Henry Lizama, Pete Tomokane, and Virgil Secharmidal have eight each.

Meanwhile, Kevin Kapileo and Keoni Kaipat are still GSM’s 1-2 punch when it comes to pitching as they both have 0.00 ERAs—the same record Franco Flores and Kiku Lizama have. Nate Camacho and Dung Tenorio have 1.00 and 1.61 ERAs. Noel Cabrera (1.95), Kainoa Wanket (2.45), Joe Guerrero (2.65), Frankie Lieto (2.79) are the other players on the pitching leaders list.

Frankie Lieto has the most strikeouts with 24, followed closely by Noel Cabrera and Kevin Kapileo with 23 and 22, respectively. Jobi Reyes and Jose Lizama have 13 each, while Nate Camacho and Peter Lieto have 12 apiece.