The Falcons’ Giovanni Mira slides home as Cardinals catcher Brian Camacho attempts to tag him out during the opening game of the 2024 Tan Holdings Saipan Baseball League at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field on Monday.
THE 2024 Tan Holdings Saipan Baseball League started with a bang as the Falcons pulled a rally in the extra inning to stun the defending champions, the Cardinals, 10-8, at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field on Monday.
The Falcons started right off the bat with AJ Evangelista rounding the bases aided by Ian Norita for an RBI single. Not too long after, Norita reached home safely after capitalizing off JJ Lifoifoi’s single for an RBI that put them in the lead, 2-0.
Although the Cardinals had no answer in the bottom half of the opening inning, they quickly worked their way back into fighting form. Defensively, they managed to stop the bleeding and allowed no runs in the top of the second. Offensively, they answered with an explosion as Eli Aughenbaugh connected the first homerun of the season, a two-run homer, followed by another two-run homer by Tony Tenorio to give the Cardinals the lead, 5-2.
Neither team scored in the next two innings. However, in the top of the fifth, the Falcons regained momentum with the help of Jonathan Norita’s two-RBI double. He was later brought in by Lifoifoi for an RBI double for a total of three runs to even the score, 5-5.
The Falcons then snatched the upper hand with a single run scored in the top of the seventh inning, but the Cardinals equalized with a single run of their own in the bottom half for a 6-6 deadlock that forced an extra inning to determine the victor.
In the eighth inning, the Falcons quickly filled the bases and scored four runs thanks to Mira Giovanni’s two-RBI single to seize the lead, 10-6.
In the bottom half, the Cardinals scored two runs, but the Falcons answered with three straight outs to seal the deal, 10-8.
Before the start of the opening game, SBL presented awards to last season’s winner and runner up. The first pitch was made by NMI Sports Hall of Famer, Tony Rogolifoi.
