By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE NSA Braves recorded a convincing 23-1 victory over the Kagman Lions during Saturday’s semifinal showdown in the Senior Division of the 2026 Saipan Little League at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.
The game proved to be an uphill battle for the Lions’ pitching staff, who struggled to contain a relentless Braves lineup and were pressured early by aggressive baserunning.
The Braves wasted no time establishing dominance in the top of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Justin Garde started things off with a walk and quickly came around to score the opening run, while the rest of the lineup capitalized on defensive miscues. Marianas Taitano led the charge with a two-RBI single, along with RBI singles by Aiken Norita and Herman Iguel, as the Braves put up eight runs in the frame.
The Lions attempted to respond in the bottom half when Max Tomokane scored on an error. However, the rally was short-lived as a strikeout and flyout ended the inning for the Braves.
In the second inning, the Lions appeared to adjust defensively, allowing only two runs. However, their offense remained quiet for the rest of the game.
The game broke open in the top of the third inning when the Braves’ batting order pushed across five runs to extend the lead to 15-1.
Despite the Lions’ efforts, they had no answers on either side of the field.
The Braves sealed the win in the top of the fourth inning, continuing their offensive onslaught with multiple runs scored off infield errors to push the lead to 23-1.
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.
