Tokahao wins men’s softball title

Team Tokahao is the men’s division champion of the 2022 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball League after defeating Hagu La’mun in a sweep of the best-of-three championship series held last Sunday at the Dandan Softball Field. (LEIGH GASES)

The dragged out 2022 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball League season finally came to a forgiving end with Tokahao crowning itself the men’s division champion in two games against Hagu La’mun last Sunday at the Dandan Softball Field.

With a season that started in July, dozens of rainouts and makeup games extended the season to right before the holidays. Even with that, the teams who made it to the postseason stayed strong, as Tokahao, who was third place in the regular season, fought its way to the top.

Tokahao first defeated Asahi in the semifinals, then beat Hagu La’mun, 8-6, in Game 1, and 23-11 in Game 2 to clinch the championship via sweep.

Tokahao’s offense wasted no time in the final game as 11 runs came in the first inning. The top-of-the-lineup shot by Clint Quitugua started the cascade of runs against Hagu La’mun pitcher Joe Celis.

Hagu La’mun’s Glen Camacho replied with a three-run home run to put them on the scoreboard. It was still too early to tell whether Game 3 is in sight or if Tokahao can maintain their 8-run lead at the end of the first inning. But by the fifth, Tokahao was up 17-11 and seemed like the championship series would end in just two games.

Tokahao pitcher George David then buckled down to work and limited Hagu La’mun’s contact with the ball as for three innings, they came up empty. While Hagu La’mun’s Roy Ada hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning, the rest of the batters were silenced.

Leading up to the final innings as Tokahao could almost taste the sweet taste of victory, Tokahao’s offense was not done giving their pitcher a helping hand. 

Jeff Cruz slammed a three-run home run, while Jojo Attao and Jerome Delos Santos recorded a home run each. Cruz ended the game with six RBIs, while Mark Villagomez and Attao hit 3 RBIs apiece.

In the last inning of the game, while Hagu La’mun was ready to hang up their cleats for the season, Tokahao added 6 more runs, ending the game, 23-
11.

George David ended up winning the championship MVP award and said it was “very unexpected… and [I’m] very excited. Without teamwork and without them, I wouldn’t [have] received the MVP [award].”

With that, he said about the team, “overall, we did pretty good throughout the season… It was good. It was a teamwork effort and we took it all the way to the champs.” 

When asked how they swept the finals after clinching third place in the regular season, he attributed it to their teamwork and that “everybody had a game plan… but it’s anybody’s game actually.”

David Attao, coach, manager, and player for Tokahao, said that the season was “very competitive. We appreciate the league and the teams that we played against because it was very competitive.”

He said their strategy in the playoffs was to outswing the other teams, but that “we wanted to play hard and respect every batter and team and come out swinging strong… These guys are clutch players, so we practice once a week, but we always communicate, which is the most important—communicate about how strategy is [going to be] everyday…” 

“Thanks to BASA and players and the teams for… making us all healthy and allowing us to play on Sundays,” said Attao.

Results of the individual awards will be posted in the next issue of Saipan Tribune.