TANAPAG Middle School successfully defended their girls middle school division title in the PSS-NMISA Interscholastic Fast Pitch Softball League SY4-25 after emerging victorious in an extended match against Mount Carmel School at the Dandan softball field on Saturday.
Tanapag had to be beaten twice, as they reached the finals unscathed, while Mount Carmel School fought through the loser’s bracket.
But despite TMS’ advantage, MCS was not going to let it stand in the way of claiming the title.
MCS came out swinging in the top of the opening inning with Paige Muna and Mia Guerrero earning RBIs. But TMS matched the pace in the bottom half, scoring three consecutive runs to end the first inning in a 3-3 deadlock.
In the second inning, TMS pulled ahead, limiting MCS to just one run while adding five runs, highlighted by Chelsea Santos’ home run, to take an 8-4 lead.
MCS remained persistent, however, slowly climbing back over the next two innings to trail by just one run, 9-8.
In the seventh and final inning, MCS’ hard work finally paid off as they focused on bringing in runs, capitalizing on two opportunities to steal home plate and take the lead, 11-9.
In the bottom half, TMS tried to recover but could only manage one run before accepting defeat at the hands of MCS, 11-10, forcing a deciding game to determine the victor.
Upper hand
In Game 2, MCS started strong with two runs scored in the first inning. However, TMS eventually took control with a single run in the second inning followed by three more in the third to grasp the upper hand, 4-2.
TMS notched eight additional runs in the fifth inning to further widen their lead, 12-2.
MCS scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning, but this merely delayed the inevitable as TMS answered with two runs in the bottom half to seal the deal, 14-4, and retain the title.
In an interview with Variety, TMS head coaches Neil Camacho and Felisa Brel expressed their gratitude for the victory, despite the adjustment from slowpitch to fastpitch.
“The transition…was a challenge because everyone was expecting to be able to see it [the pitch] coming, but in fastpitch they need to heighten their reflexes,” Camacho said.
Brel said there was also a need for focused work between the pitcher and the catcher as well as adjusting to a few rule changes.
Another challenge was fielding a nine-person roster compared to last year’s 10-person roster. “They were still getting the rules into their heads, but with enough training, they were able to execute the game properly,” Brel said.
Tough game
As for the finale, Camacho said it was the most exciting game he had coached since the boys high school division.
“Shout-out to MCS,” he said, “they have some tough players. It was a tough match coming out of a loss from them in the regular season and then losing to them in game 1 of the finals, which really got us on our feet. But our players gave it all. ‘Teamwork makes the dream work,’ and that is how we came together and hyped each other up. There was a lot going through our minds.”
With some of the eighth graders on the TMS team set to be promoted soon, they hope their “two-peat” will give them enough momentum to maintain their performance for next year, Camacho said. “We want that ‘three-peat.’ That’s always the goal in sports,” he added.
Mount Carmel School and Tanapag Middle School players pose for a group photo with their trophies during the awards ceremony in the girls high school division of the PSS-NMISA Interscholastic Fast Pitch Softball League at the Dandan softball field on Saturday.
Photos by James F. Sablan Jr.
TMS’ pitcher Kyria Ngiraked secures the grounder during the championship game against MCS in the girls high school division of the PSS-NMISA Interscholastic Fast Pitch Softball League at the Dandan softball field on Saturday.
MCS first baseman Orchid Castro reaches out for the pick off during the championship game against TMS in the girls high school division of the PSS-NMISA Interscholastic Fast Pitch Softball League at the Dandan softball field on Saturday.
