By James Sablan
james@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
POWERED by an explosive offense, Just4Fun swept The Kliq in a two-game championship series to claim back-to-back titles in the 2025 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association Open League on Sunday at the Dandan ballfield.
The victory marked a repeat championship for Just4Fun, which entered the playoffs as a lower seed but emerged as the undisputed kings of the diamond.
Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series set a punishing tone as Just4Fun’s bats came alive early. After holding The Kliq scoreless in the top of the first inning, Just4Fun struck in the bottom half as Nate Camacho and Darion Jones drove in two runs with an RBI single and RBI double, respectively.
While The Kliq struggled to break through in the first three innings, Just4Fun continued to rack up runs. Jordan Suel and Aling Ogumoro each blasted two-run home runs in the second inning, followed by a three-run homer from Jay Kintol in the third to extend the lead to 9-0.
The Kliq briefly responded in the fourth inning with a solo home run by Jerald Cabrera and a two-run shot from Eli Aughenbaugh, then added two more runs in the fifth. However, Just4Fun answered with a run in the fourth and three more in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run home run from Camacho, to close out a 13-5 Game 1 victory.
Carrying a 1-0 series lead into Game 2, Just4Fun refused to let the momentum shift. After both teams scored in the opening inning, Just4Fun pulled away as Camacho launched back-to-back three-run home runs in the third and fourth innings to stretch the lead to 14-1.
The Kliq attempted a rally with four runs in the fourth inning, but Just4Fun responded decisively with seven runs in the fifth. Solo home runs by Camacho, Darion Jones, and Ben Jones in the seventh inning sealed a commanding 25-8 victory and secured the championship.
Following the title win, Just4Fun manager-player Keith Kintol expressed both relief and pride.
“We have a good group of leaders here,” Kintol said. “Communication and hitting were our strengths, and meshing everything together at game time is the hardest part. We were able to do that when it mattered most.”
Despite the on-field rivalry, Just4Fun praised The Kliq, describing them as family and a strong team that pushed them throughout the series. With the core roster expected to remain intact next season, Just4Fun sent a clear message: the road to the championship still runs through them.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
