By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE CNMI Junior League All-Stars kicked off their campaign at the 2026 Little League Asia-Pacific & Middle East Regional Tournament with a commanding victory, defeating American Samoa, 14-3, on Saturday at Hwaseong Dream Park in South Korea.
The CNMI squad capitalized on an offensive surge and disciplined plate appearances to secure the win in six innings.
The CNMI Juniors established control early and never looked back. In the top of the first inning, CNMI set the tone by crossing the plate three times, while American Samoa responded with a run in the bottom half, 3-1.
In the second inning, CNMI added two more runs to extend its lead to 5-1 while shutting down the Samoan offense.
The decisive blow came in the third inning. With momentum on their side, CNMI erupted for a six-run frame that broke the game open and extended the lead to 11-1.
American Samoa tightened its defense in the fourth inning to stop the bleeding and added a run in the bottom of the fifth, trimming the deficit to 11-2.
CNMI added three insurance runs in the top of the sixth. American Samoa added one final run in the bottom half, but CNMI held a commanding lead as the game ended after six innings with a 14-3 victory.
CNMI’s dominance was reflected in the numbers, particularly its discipline at the plate. Batters drew 14 walks, consistently putting pressure on American Samoa’s pitching staff. On the defensive side, CNMI pitching and fielding kept American Samoa off balance, allowing just one hit over six innings.
The opening win gives CNMI significant momentum in a highly competitive pool. Led by manager Eric Palacios and coaches Kyle Hocog and Jesse Reyes, the team had limited preparation time in Saipan due to the aftermath of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, making the performance even more impressive.
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.
