THE Bears stunned the Cardinals on Tuesday night, handing them their first loss of the 2025 Saipan Baseball League season with a 3-2 upset at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.
The Bears opened strong with a solid defensive stand, allowing only one hit before shutting down the Cardinals. They carried the momentum into the bottom of the first inning, where Dennis Cabrera singled, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Marty Taisacan to put the Bears ahead 1-0.
After a scoreless second inning, the Bears struck again in the third. Cabrera and Taisacan delivered back-to-back RBI singles to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Cardinals responded in the fourth as Nate Camacho led off with a single and later scored on Jerald Cabrera’s RBI. But in the midst of the rally, the Bears snuffed out further damage with a double play followed by a flyout to end the inning, 3-1.
In the fifth, the Cardinals cut the gap to one run when Brian Camacho knocked in another RBI single, making it 3-2. But the Bears’ defense held firm, stranding runners and preserving the lead.
Both teams went scoreless in the sixth, setting up a tense seventh and final inning. The Cardinals had one last chance to rally, but the Bears shut them down with three quick outs to seal the victory.
With the win, the Bears snapped the Cardinals’ perfect start to the season and proved they are a force to be reckoned with in the league.
The Cardinals’ Eli Aughenbaugh slides into first base, beating the pickoff attempt by the Bears’ first baseman, Ze Lizama, during a Saipan Baseball League game at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field on Tuesday night.
The Bears’ Jose Lizama pitches against the Cardinals during a Saipan Baseball League game at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field on Tuesday night.
The Bears’ J-Boy Mendiola hits a single against the Cardinals during a Saipan Baseball League game at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field on Tuesday night.
