In the majors division’s finals at Sinapalo’s Joaquin M. Ogo Ball Field, the Saipan All-Stars defeated team Tinian, 3-0. They will now represent the CNMI in the Asia-Pacific Regional Tournament in Guam.
Team Rota fell to Saipan twice — 15-0 in the Junior League’s finals and 14-2 in the Senior League’s finals. The Big League’s Rota All-Stars eliminated Tinian, 14-6 yesterday to advance to today’s championship game against Saipan.
Saipan 14, Rota 2 in Senior League
Greg Iskawa, Brian Camacho, and Patrick Aguon hit home runs to hand Saipan a 14-2 win in the Senior League’s championship round.
Camacho delivered a three-run home run and Robert Tudela scored another run to lift Saipan, 4-0 in the top of the first. Iskawa went 3-for-4 and hit a double to drive Aldebert Lizama in.
Rota’s Henry Manglona responded with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the second and Raymond Castro drew another run two innings later.
Aguon scored a two-run home run, Frankie Camacho bagged an RBI single, and Iskawa hit his home run to pull Saipan away in the top of the third. Starting pitcher Leroy Regis struck out 10 and gave up two runs on five hits.
Rota’s Felix Ogo went a perfect 2-for-2 on a triple and single with one run.
Saipan 15, Rota 0 in Junior League
Even with a lengthy eight-run second inning, team Saipan showed no mercy to finish the Rota All-Stars, 15-0 in five innings.
Jonathan Cabrera and Ian Rogolifoi scored the first two runs on consecutive wild pitches, followed by Khobby Kaipat’s run-scoring single. Kaipat returned home on Cedric Ada’s RBI walk.
Jeremy Lizama and Frankie Lieto pitched a one-hitter with nine strikeouts to silence team Rota. Two outs into the top of the fourth, short stop Jose Lizama rallied with an RBI double and returned home on Ray Saralu’s single.
KJ Kalen struck a run-scoring triple, Ada scored an RBI single, and Rogolifoi scored an RBI walk to cap the game for team Saipan. Jose Lizama went 2-for-4 with two runs. Kalen, Ada, and Jeremy Lizama earned two runs apiece.
Saipan 3, Tinian 0 in Majors Division
An improved defense from the Tinian All-Stars still wasn’t enough to take the majors division title.
Catcher Roke Tenorio hammered two runs and Craig Aguon added another to lift team Saipan, 3-0. Harry Nakamura pitched a no-hitter and struck out 15 in six and a half innings.
“Tinian was really coming out. I was impressed with what the managers and coaches are doing to the kids,” Saipan All-Stars’ manager Chel Castro told Variety after the game.
Saipan buried both Rota and Tinian with blowout games to advance to the finals. Tinian triumphed over Rota on Saturday prior to their loss.
“Tinian improved because they saved their best pitcher, but there’s 14 of our boys and everyone pitches so as far as pitching was concerned, we were loaded,” said Castro.
Castro now has a month-long training schedule planned for the team when they return to Saipan.
The newly crowned champions will be pinned against teams from Guam and the Philippines — among others — in the regional tournament.
“Right now the tough job is to prepare for Guam, but the kids are really excited,” added Castro.
