AB Team’s Ricky Riungel is about to hit the ball during a game in the 2024 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association Open League at the Dandan baseball field.
AB Team finally tasted victory thanks to Ricky Riungel, who connected the game-winning solo homer to beat the Red Torch, 10-9, in the 2024 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association Open League at the Dandan baseball field on Sunday.
The Red Torch came out swinging with second at bat Jude Reyes connecting a solo homerun to grasp the 1-0 advantage. The AB Team, for their part, struggled to find their footing and could only record one hit throughout the first three innings while the Red Toch added two more runs in the top of the third to widen their lead, 3-0.
The Red Torch looked to end the game early with two more runs in the top of the fourth inning, but the AB Team managed to break the silence in the bottom half with a series of offensive highlights. Ricky Riungel ignited the mid-game rally with a solo homerun before the first out was made while teammate Greg Sablan kept the fire burning with a two-run homer followed by two more solo homeruns by Manny Borja and Alonso Besong to record the first deadlock of the day, 5-5.
The Red Torch tried to regain control with a run scored in the top of the fifth. Defensively, however, they failed to hold down the AB Team, who retaliated with four runs that were highlighted by Ping Norita with a two-RBI single followed by Sablan’s second consecutive two-run homer to grasp control, 9-6.
Despite the AB Team’s comeback, the Red Torch was not going down without a fight as they gradually evened the score, 9-9, with two runs bagged in the sixth and one more in the top of the seventh inning.
But the AB Team only needed to go through one batter before Ricky Riungel connected the solo homer to secure victory, 10-9.
Other games
Also notching nail-biting wins were Ur Balls, who slipped past Taotaomona, 10-8, and the Blue Jays, who outlasted Wazzup, 11-10.
