By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
NATIVE Nenis and Little 8ers opened the Saipan Little League Inc.’s inaugural Girls With Game 2026 season in emphatic fashion, each notching victories during Saturday’s opening games at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Pangelinan BallField.
The day’s opening matchup featured a tightly contested battle, with the Native Nenis edging the Aztecs, 11–5.
Both teams were evenly matched in the first inning, showcasing strong defensive play highlighted by pickoffs and strikeouts to keep the scoreboard clean.
The Native Nenis broke through in the second inning, finding confidence at the plate and erupting for six runs. Maxiann Sablan and Destiny Palacios ignited the rally at the top of the lineup, using their speed to pressure the Aztecs’ infield before scoring the game’s first two runs. Despite recording an out, the Aztecs struggled to regain momentum as four additional runs crossed the plate before the inning ended, giving the Nenis a 6–0 lead.
The Aztecs attempted to respond in the bottom half of the inning but advanced no further than second base, as Native Nenis shortstop Summer Lieto halted the threat with back-to-back pickoffs.
The turning point came in the top of the third inning, when the Native Nenis capitalized on disciplined hitting and costly Aztecs errors. Raylin Deleon Guerrero punctuated the rally with an inside-the-park home run, driving in four more runs to further solidify the Nenis’ advantage.
The Aztecs finally broke through in the final inning, scoring four runs, but their rally was short-lived. The Native Nenis recorded the final three outs to secure the victory, sealing an 11–5 win and a hard-fought six-run triumph.
Little 8ers dominate in second game
The second game of the day quickly turned into a showcase of aggressive base running and disciplined hitting, as the Little 8ers routed the Pink Sluggers, 21–2.
The Little 8ers set the tone immediately, crossing the plate 10 times in the top of the first inning. Lead-off hitter Proa Hirochi reached on an error and quickly scored, sparking a rally fueled by aggressive base running from Kylee Mira, Iyannah Agulto, and Hunnie Norita. By the time Aureya Saralu capped the inning, the 8ers had built a commanding 10–0 lead.
The Pink Sluggers showed signs of life in the bottom of the first inning. Layah Nafros reached on a walk and later scored following productive at-bats, including a gritty showing from Ishani Togawa. However, the Little 8ers’ pitching staff limited the damage to just two runs.
The Little 8ers remained relentless, adding seven runs in the second inning and four more in the third. Alayah Camacho and Mollie Camacho played key roles, consistently putting the ball in play and capitalizing on defensive miscues. The Pink Sluggers were unable to mount another comeback and were held scoreless in the remaining frames as the game was called.
Hirochi, Mira, and Agulto led the offensive charge, each scoring three runs while maintaining constant pressure on the basepaths.
A new era begins
An opening ceremony followed, marking what Saipan Little League Inc. President Ray Yumul described as a “long time coming” and a historic milestone for youth sports in the CNMI.
With five teams taking the field — the Aztecs, Diamond Divas, Little 8ers, Native Nenis, and Pink Sluggers — the league exceeded initial expectations of just two teams.
Speakers emphasized that the program serves as a gateway to international competition, with opportunities to advance to Asia-Pacific tournaments and potentially the World Series.
“You are not just opening a sports league,” said CNMI Labor Secretary Leila Staffler during the keynote address. “You are making space for confidence, leadership, and opportunity for young Indigenous women to fully step into who they are. Girls With Game is a statement — it says girls belong on the field and in leadership.”
The values of character, courage, and loyalty were highlighted as pillars of the new division. District Administrator AJ Muric reflected on the region’s fast-pitch legacy, recalling the 2018 team that represented the Asia-Pacific/Middle East region at the World Series, and expressed hope that this new generation would soon follow in their footsteps.
The ceremony concluded with a ceremonial first pitch thrown by local baseball legend Bert Camacho.
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.
