The Big League’s newly crowned pennant champions bagged their 11th win for a near-perfect 11-1 record. Erik Tenorio took over Josh Jones as the Stars’ starting pitcher and struck out five with one walk in the first seven innings.
Aces’ Harry Nakamura delivered a run-scoring single at the bottom of the eighth to tie the game, 4-4.
The Stars capped the night with a six-run 11th inning on two wild pitches, Mart Sablan’s stolen base, and three consecutive errors. Dave Jones replaced Tenorio and gave up three runs on six hits with one strikeout. Dylan Pua had earlier scored an RBI at the top of the second to drive Dave in.
Josh Jones squeezed in another RBI single five innings later. Right fielder Joaquin Castro led the Stars with three runs.
Lead-off batter Diego Camacho scored the Aces’ first run on JT Taitano’s double. Camacho rallied with a two-run double by the bottom of the 11th. Nakamura struck out seven, walking only two.
The Ol’ Aces – now with seven wins and five losses – are tied with the Island Apparel-Kagman Mobile Station Hustlers. Both teams will face off in a tiebreaker game this Saturday following the Junior League’s championship match.
The losing team will play the Stars on Monday’s first game at 4 p.m. The winners will play the second-seeded IT&E Fielders in a second game.
Hustlers 10, Lions 9
Catcher Nokki Saralu went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI and the Hustlers took a one-run lead to crush the Kagman Lions in an earlier game.
The Hustlers triumphed, 10-9 for their seventh win. Joaquin Muna went 2-for-3 with one run and two singles.
McGarett Duenas returned home on an error, Saralu hit a run-scoring double, and Jonavin Guerrero scored an RBI single to erase the Hustlers’ two-run deficit at the bottom of the first. Guerrero advanced Saralu from the scoring position on a sacrifice bat two innings later. Tim Rabago, Muna, and MacGary Scaliem each bagged one RBI to hand the Hustlers a 7-2 lead.
The Lions – just one run behind at the top of the seventh – fell on two strikeouts from James Camacho and Mark Sanchez.
Hustlers’ starting pitcher Jeremy Lizama mustered eight strikeouts and allowed four hits with two walks in the first five innings.
Senior League playoffs, All-Star selection underway
The senior division’s playoffs will start on Tuesday, May 10 with a 6 p.m. game between the top-ranked Tan Siu Lin Foundation Fielders and Saint Michaels Medical Response Hunters.
The Tan Siu Lin Foundation-Rep. Fred Deleon Guerrero-Rep. Ramon Basa Kagman Lions will go against the CTS Ol’ Aces on Thursday, May 12 at 6 p.m.
Selection of All-Star players for the Junior League also started last Tuesday, May 3, but results have not been confirmed yet. All-Star selection for the Senior League began yesterday and the Big League will follow on May 11.
