By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE Tanapag Braves and the Toyota Matrix cruised to easy victories in the Majors division of the 2007 Saipan Little League Baseball tournament last Saturday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.
The Braves whipped the Little Legals after only four innings, 21-4, while Matrix posted a similar win routing the PTI Jets, 17-1, also in four innings.
The Braves were off to a rousing start scoring one run after another. They scored eight runs at the top of the first, while the Little Legals were shut out at the bottom of the first, as Jesse Suel and Mikaela Agulto flied out and Braves’ pitcher Frankie Lieto struck out Kody Kaipat.
The Braves picked up where they left off in the second inning, nailing eight more runs at the top of the second.
Little Legals scored three runs in the second, but these were not enough to bring them back into the game.
Jothan Camacho paced the Braves going 2-for-4with two singles, three runs and an RBI.
After striking out Khoby Kaipat midway through the bottom of the second, Frankie Lieto was replaced on the mound by Ricky Joe Riungel.
Riungel then posted six strikeouts, allowed only one hit and gave up four walks to prevent a Little Legals comeback.
With the win, the Braves improved to a 5-2 record. The Little Legals dropped to a 2-5 slate.
The Matrix-Jets match went on ahead of schedule, as the Red Sox-Chalan Kanoa Bears tiff was reset with Bears officials attending to personal matters.
The Toyota-sponsored team also finished the game early winning by 16.
Joe Deleon Guerrero pitched in the first three innings and in the first few minutes of the fourth innings allowing only three hits, walking one and striking out five.
LJ Hemley replaced Deleon Guerrero and the former struck out the Jets’ Jordan Taitano for the Jets’ second out.
Jasper Alcantara scored the Jets’ first run taking advantage of the Matrix pitching errors.
But that was the last time the Jets entered the scoreboard, as Matrix’s defense held on to secure their second win in eight games. The Jets remain winless in seven matches.
The Ol’Aces II and the Aztecs played in the last game Saturday, but results of the match were unavailable at press time.
The results of the Fielders-Warriors tiff in the Juniors division were also unavailable.
In the Seniors League, the Pirates nipped the Fielders, 14-13, but the latter put the game under protest citing the former’s illegal substitution.
SLLB officials were unavailable for comment about the protest.
But the protest may be discussed today when the SLLB board meets at 5:30 p.m. in the Gilbert C. Ada Gym’s conference room.
SLLB president Joe Salas is also calling on all members to attend a mandatory meeting tomorrow at 5:30. Umpires/volunteers are also encouraged to attend Tuesday’s meeting.