By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

CENTERFIELDER Billy Jo Camacho and first baseman BJ Sablan teamed up in the Tanapag Falcons’ winning play to lift their team to an 8-7 victory over the Young Guns last Wednesday in the 2007 Budweiser Saipan Major League baseball tournament at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield .
Both teams were playing in their first game of the season and were engaged in a neck-and-neck battle.
The eighth inning ended in a deadlock, 7-all.
The Young Guns were at bat in the top of the ninth but failed to break the tie.
The Falcons’ Clint Quitugua walked leadoff batter John Benavente, who moved to second base as the Tanapag pitcher also walked Brian Taisacan.
The Young Guns had their first out when Justin Mizutani flied out.
Quitugua then struck out Jay Camacho for the second out.
The Young Guns’ chances to take the lead at the top of the ninth disappeared when Myron San Nicolas thrown out at first base, leaving Taisan and Benavente stranded.
The Falcons were at bat at the bottom of the ninth with Camacho their leadoff batter and Sablan on deck.
Camacho hit a single and then advanced to second base on a passed ball with Sablan at bat.
After the passed ball, Sablan hit a single driving BJ home for the game-winning run.
Sablan went 3-for-5 at the plate with three singles and an RBI.
Camacho was 2-for-3 with two runs, two singles and a walk.
Sato Manalo and Jordan Suel also helped on offense. Suel was 4-for-5 with one run, two doubles and two singles. Manalo went 2-for-5 with two singles, one walk and two RBIs.
Quitugua pitched in no relief for the Falcons in nine innings and had nine strikeouts
He struck out the Young Guns first three batters at the top of the fifth and the Falcons scored three runs at the bottom to take a 7-4 lead, entering the sixth inning.
Neither team scored a single run in the sixth inning before the Young Guns recovered in the seventh nailing three runs at the top and shutting out the Falcons at the bottom to tie the game at 7-all.
Again, neither squad saved a single run in the eight inning before Sablan and Camacho delivered for the Falcons at the bottom of the last inning.