By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE defending champion SAIPANCELL Patriots and Mobil Kagman Aztecs notched easy victories, while McDonald’s and the Kautz Glass Pirates prevailed in low-scoring games in the Majors division of the 2007 Saipan Little League Baseball tournament last Saturday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.
The Aztecs played in the first game and faced the Bank of Saipan Red Sox.
After only four innings, the Aztecs went home with a 12-2 victory.
Leroy Regis pitched in no relief for the Aztecs allowing only two hits, giving up two runs and walking three. The Aztecs pitcher, who leads the Majors in batting, had nine strikeouts.
Regis and the Aztecs defense allowed the Red Sox to score only in the first inning to end the game early.
The Aztecs improved to a 7-7 record, while the Red Sox dropped to a 3-4 slate.
The Patriots also needed only four runs to crush the San Antonio Dragons, 23-2.
Chris Mizer pitched in the first two innings and had three strikeouts. He gave up two runs on wild pitches, but allowed no hits and walked two.
Tyler Kaipat relieved Mizer in the last two innings and the former also delivered on the mound posting four strikeouts. He allowed no hits and walked one.
Jared Sablan and Lamarc Iguel took care of business on offense as they both went 3-for-3 at the plate.
Sablan had three runs, two RBIs and three singles, while Iguel had one inside-the-park homer, two runs, two doubles and three RBIs.
Brian Camacho and Jeremy Rabauliman both went 3-for-4.
The win was the Patriots 10th in as many games, while the Dragons absorbed their seventh loss in eight games.
In the third match, the Pirates withstood a Little Legals’ rally to pull off a 7-6 triumph.
The Pirates improved to a 6-4 record, while the Little Legals dropped to a 2-7 slate.
After five innings, the Pirates were up, 7-3, when the Little Legals made one final push to steal the game at the top of the sixth.
Tommy Kautz finished the game for the Pirates relieving LJ Norita on the mound midway through the fifth inning.
At the top of the sixth and final inning, Kautz struck out leadoff batter and leftfielder Angel Palacios.
Kautz made his second strike- out against rightfielder Nieves Deleon Guerrero. But Kautz failed to end the game early when he gave up a single to third baseman JP Taitano, who moved to second after the Pirates pitcher walked shortstop Mikaela Borja.
Taitano, Borja and first baseman Cody Kaipat went on to score a run apiece as the Pirates committed pitching and passing errors to move within one, 6-7.
But Kautz ended the Little Legals’ hope to steal the game when he struck out pitcher J-Boy Rangamar.
In the last game in the Majors division, league-leading Patrick Tenorio proved why he is the king of the mound as he made 13 strikeouts in five innings to lead McDonald’s to a 5-1 win over the Ol’Aces I.
Tenorio, who had a .77 ERA after six games, allowed only one hit, gave up only one run and walked three. Ian Rogolofoi replaced him at the bottom of the sixth and finished the job getting three strike outs and allowing only one hit.
Tenorio was also steady at the plate going 3-for-4 with three singles and two runs.
Juniors: Pirates 8, Ol’Aces 7
Eli Aughenbalen hit a single driving home AJ Taitano, as the Pirates nipped the Ol’Aces, 7-8.
The game was tied after six complete innings, 7-all, after the Ol’Aces two-run sixth.
AJ Taitano was the Pirates’ leadoff batter at the bottom of the seventh and hit a single.
The Pirates third baseman G. Camacho was beaten to first base for the first out, while third batter Richard Dela Cruz moved to first on a fielder’s choice.
The game ended when Aughenbalen hit a single and drove Taitano home for the game-winning run.
The Pirates improved to a 3-5 record, while the Ol’Aces remain winless in eight games.
Seniors: Jets 15, Fielders 1
The Jets are still undefeated in the Seniors division after downing the Fielders, 15-1.
The Jets now have seven wins, while the Fielders dropped to a 1-5 record.
Vicente Cepeda pitched for 5 innings and for the first part of the sixth and had nine strikeouts. He gave up six hits, but allowed only one run.
The Fielders had their lone run at the bottom of the fourth on Vince Iglecias’ RBI. W. Nameco scored the Fielders’ only run in the game.