By Kyle Terwilliger
Variety News Staff

The Islanders were looking to make a statement in the playoffs and they did in the opening game Friday at Paseo Stadium.
The fourth seeded AK Islanders sent Ernie Lobotan to the mound to take on the first seeded Guam Greyhounds and Abel Salas. The Islanders would quickly set the pace for the game as they quickly jumped on Abel Salas scoring two runs on two hits in the top of the first inning.
Andy Quintanilla would begin the game by drawing a walk followed by a double by shortstop Dominic Cruz.
Salas would load the bases after walking Pat Alvarez. With the bases loaded and no outs Tommy Morrison would roll the ball over to the second baseman who would attempt to turn the 4-6-3 double play but Morrison would beat out the throw and Quintanilla would score the first run of the game.
Now with runners on the corners and one out Paul Untalan would deliver with an RBI single scoring Dominic Cruz from third base. Ernie Lobotan would begin the game slow walking the three of the five batters he faced in the first inning.
A pick-off, a groundout and a strikeout would get Lobotan out of the inning however, without allowing a run. Lobotan would then settle down and hold the Greyhounds scoreless through three complete innings.
Abel Salas would also settle down after his rocky start and would retire three straight in the second, and a double play would get him out of the third inning without giving up another run, the score after three complete would see the Islanders still ahead 2-0.
The Greyhounds would finally get on the board and provide some run support for their pitcher in the bottom of the fourth after Abel Salas retired the Islanders in the top half of the inning. The Greyhounds’ Alan Sarmiento and Tony Yatar would draw back to back walks to put runners on first and second with no outs. John Salas would then come up and single to load the bases.
Glen Fernandez would then come up and hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Alan Sarmiento from third. Tony Yatar and John Salas would move up on an error to put runners on second and third with one out. Dale Alvarez would then hit another sacrifice fly to score Yatar from third tying the game up at two a piece after four innings.
After a scoreless fifth inning the Islanders would put the pressure on once again as they scored two more runs in the top of the inning. Pat Alvarez would lead off with a walk and would then score on an RBI single by Eddie Muna.
After Tommy Duenas drew a walk to load the bases the Greyhounds would pull Abel Salas in favor of Cliff Raphael. The Islanders would pull off the suicide squeeze to score another run. As Paul Untalan broke for home plate Jimmy Mafnas would square around for the bunt and the Islanders would pull it off perfectly. Raphael would then get Andy Quintanilla to fly out to end the inning and stop the bleeding.
The Greyhounds would score an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning after a pass ball allowed Tony Yatar to score from third base to bring the Greyhounds to within one after six complete innings as the Islanders led 4-3. The Islanders would push their lead to three on three hits in the bottom of the seventh when Pat Alvarez scored on an RBI double by Tommy Morrison. Morrison would then come around to score on an RBI single by Ed Muna.
After putting in Tommy Duenas to pitch in the seventh he would be lifted in the eighth after pitching 1 1/3 innings the Islanders would take him out and would put in Joey Santos to finish the game.
The score would be 6 – 3 going into the bottom of the ninth and the Greyhounds would look to rally for the win. Santos would get Joey Taijeron to ground out for the first out. Rico Castro would then single.
Jon Sarmiento would strike out for the second out of the inning. With two outs and one on Alan Sarmiento would double to bring in Rico Castro all the way from first.
Sarmiento would then score on an RBI single by Yatar who went 4 for 4 on the game with two runs scored and a huge RBI in the bottom of the ninth.
John Salas would then draw a walk to put Yatar, who was the tying run, in scoring position on second. With two outs and two on Joey Santos would deliver the pitch to Glen Fernandez who would roll the ball over to first for the unassisted put out to end the game giving the win to the Islanders’ Ernie Lobotan after he pitched six complete innings allowing only two earned runs on three hits and striking out two. Joey Santos would get the save despite giving up two runs on three hits.
Abel Salas would get the loss giving up four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. The Greyhounds will look for revenge in the second game of the best of five series on Tuesday at Paseo Stadium.