By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
CHACHA Ocean View Middle School collected its first win in the girls middle school division of the PSS-NMISA Interscholastic Fastpitch Softball League SY25-26 on Saturday, edging Francisco M. Sablan Middle School in a gritty 12-9 contest at the Dandan ball field.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team able to seize full control. COVMS opened with a strong defensive stand, recording three consecutive outs in the top of the first inning.
The momentum carried into the bottom half as patience at the plate and timely hitting from Molli May Camacho, Hailey Lizama, Aaliyah Jones, and Leala Ngiraked fueled a five-run burst to take a 5-0 lead.
FMS responded in the top of the second inning, capitalizing on COVMS pitching miscues. After the first four batters reached base — along with a costly fielder’s choice — FMS plated six runs to pull ahead.
The lead was short-lived. COVMS answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Lizama’s home run, to regain control, 9-6.
FMS continued to take advantage of errors, adding two runs in the top of the third. Although COVMS struggled to find the strike zone, FMS faced similar issues in the bottom half as COVMS turned walks into three runs to extend the lead to 12-8.
FMS had one last chance in the top of the fourth and final inning but fell short, scoring only one run before COVMS sealed the victory with a strikeout and two infield outs to end the game, 12-9.
In other games
Also picking up wins were Mount Carmel School, which dismantled Saipan International School, 20-0, and Hopwood Middle School, which earned its second victory of the season with a 23-1 rout of FMS.
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.
