Tenorio, Cabrera move up to batting charts

Go See Mark’s Anthony Tenorio warms up before heading to the plate to bat during their game against the D-9ers in the 2017 Saipan Baseball League last Wednesday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Go See Mark’s Anthony Tenorio and Titanium’s Jerald Cabrera boosted their respective bids for the batting championship as they moved on top of the leaderboard with only a few more games left in the regular season of the 2017 Saipan Baseball League.

Tenorio and Cabrera both finished the double-round robin elimination with a batting average of .429 to grab the lead from the Falcons’ A.J. Evangelista. The GSM player went 24-for-56 at bat, climbing from No. 4 to a tie for No. 1 spot after going 4-for-6 in their 12-2 victory over the D-9ers last week. Cabrera, on the other hand, hit 5-for-8 in their last two games for his 21-for-49 clip to jump from No. 6 to No. 1.

Both Cabrera and Tenorio now have to wait for the remaining matches in the elimination to find out if they get to keep the top spot and win the batting championship.

Only two players are likely to challenge the co-leaders for the batting crown with Evangelista in third place with his .412 average and A.J. Lizama of the defending champions Chalan Kanoa Bears in fourth after posting .393. Evangelista (21-for-51) and his Falcons have one more game left in the regular season, while Lizama (22-for-56) also has to play a make-up match (versus Blue Jays)

The BSI Aces’ Lamarc Iguel and Ben Jones, Jr. are ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, with their batting averages of .383 and .381, but could no longer catch up with the leaders, as their team is done with its regular season games. The GSM’ Jessel Brel (.380) and Pat Alepuyo (.370) and Titanium’s Jhace Palacios (.379) and Nathan Camacho (.364) rounded out the Top 10.The battling leaders were updated last Friday and were based on 42 or more times at bat.

In the pitching race, there is also a tie between A.J. Lizama and GSM’s Kelvin Kapileo, as they are perfect (0.00 ERA). Kapileo did not yield a single run in the 18.1 innings he pitched for the pennant champion GSM (14-0), while Lizama was also flawless in 22.2 innings. With the Bears having one more game, Lizama is now torn between playing or not in their last match as one mistake can cost him the pitching title. Lizama and Kapileo lead eight other pitchers, who made it to the rankings after working the mound in 17 or more innings.

Meanwhile, Tenorio topped three more categories. His 26 runs are ahead of the 23 of the BSI Aces’ Jesus Iguel, while the GSM player also leads the league in RBIs (22) and triples (4). In the home run department, the Falcons’ Giovanni Mira, Alepuyo, D-9ers’ E.J. Tenorio, and Titanum’s Brian Camacho have one each, while the D-9ers’ Roke Tenorio is on top of the doubles list with his 8.

In the strikeouts department, Titanium’s Joe Palacios is way ahead and the unofficial winner with his 57 Ks.