It was the first time in eight years since they become a member of the Asia-Pacific Baseball family that the Philippines won in two Little League championships which and advanced to the World Series.
The South-East Asian country bagged the victory in Junior and Senior Leagues while the CNMI All Stars won the Big League championship as they rallied to 8-7 victory against the Philippines during the rainy innings.
In Junior League championship game in the morning, the Philippines mounted the winning rally in the sixth inning for the 7-6 win over CNMI.
Tsuyoshi Horibata struck out CNMI’s LaMark Iguel and popped up Anthony Salas and Harry Nakamura to short stop in the seventh inning for a three out to secure the victory.
The Philippine team made nine hits and limited their errors to three.
Charles Jason Catangui’s RBIs drove in a two runs in the second and sixth innings. He sent home Jose Miguel San Juan.
San Juan also hit an RBI single scoring Leandro Banzon.
Miko Habana hit the winning RBI sending Catangui to the home base.
In the Senior League, Philippines scored unearned runs in the fourth inning to inch their way to 7-6 victory over CNMI.
They held the CNMI scoreless in the second and sixth inning.
Iñigo Olivarez went 2-for-2 and scored three unearned runs in the fourth inning. He also hit an RBI single sending Carlos Laurel to score a run.
The Philippines scored three earned runs as they ruled in the six-run fourth inning.
Kevin Ramos and Mark Ong came on walk.
Yusuke Kuroda struck out six, allowed nine hits and six runs.
In the Big League championship game last night, Shane Yamada went 3-for-3, Jesus Iguel was 3-for-4 and Vincent Sablan Jr., hit two RBIs.
CNMI gained ground when Philippines’ pitcher Jose Bernardo Castro overthrew in the fifth inning. It was a very crucial error in the part of the Philippines.
The rain poured in the seventh inning and Sebastian Thomas Uichico replaced Castro and loaded the bases. He could have had a triple out in the bottom of the seventh but he missed striking only two and left Yamada scored.
