Nobody realized at the moment that NMI Junior League All Stars’ Harry Nakamura has already reached 75 when he was put in to pitch in the seventh inning during the July 1 game against Hongkong.
CNMI beat Hongkong, 8-5 and after the game, the Hongkong Junior League team filed a protest against CNMI for the use of ineligible pitcher and failure to have all players on the roster present at the game.
The Hongkong team went up to the press box to air their concern but the matters was not immediately settled prompting the Hongkong to bring it up to Willliamsport.
The Tournament committee later on resolved the matter by suspending Vinnie Sablan, the manager of CNMI Junior League All Stars, for two tournament games including today’s championship.
In an interview outside the fence yesterday, Sablan expressed dismay that there are also certain rules that were not taken into consideration.
He admitted it was an honest mistake due to misinterpretation of the 2008 rules.
Sablan however pointed out that the Hongkong team did not protest during the game. He cited ruling that violation of pitching rules is subject to protest and action by the tournament committee and Williamsport if the protest came before the umpire leaves the field.
The Hongkong’s protest he said is legitimate but he lodged not in accordance of the rule.
As decided by the tournament committee the part of the seventh inning when the pitcher switched was repeated yesterday afternoon.
The CNMI still won the game, 8-7 with Duenas holding Hongkong team in that inning and limited them to two runs.
Peter Tenorio Michael Peter Tenorio went 2-for-2, scored a run and hit an RBI single scoring Anthony Salas.
Harry Nakamura doubled and went 1-for2. He hit two RBIs sending Salas and Richard Dela Cruz home to score the winning runs.
