D-9er’s first baseman Patrick Celis reaches out to beat a runner for the out during a Tan Holdings Saipan Baseball League game Tuesday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.
The Natives’ Cameron Towai attempts to run home after an error was committed by D-9er’s during a Tan Holdings Saipan Baseball League game Tuesday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.
THE Natives have moved up to the front seat in the 2023 Tan Holdings Saipan Baseball League standings on Tuesday after outlasting D-9er’s, 10-9, at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios baseball field to earn their third win.
D-9er’s came out swinging to earn a run contributed by Juan Acosta in the opening inning. However, the Natives swung harder and retaliated with two runs of their own. The first run was stolen by Cameron Towai as he took advantage of a defensive error while Larson Sibetang brought in Perry Celis with a sacrifice fly to the left field to give the Natives the lead, 2-1.
The Natives pulled further out of reach as they allowed one hit only in the next two innings while adding three more runs — two off errors in the bottom of the second and one run highlighted by Jose Deleon Guerrero thanks to his team’s second sacrifice fly.
But in the top of the fourth inning, the Natives started to fall apart defensively. It started with D-9er’s Acosta capitalizing off a passed ball followed by a sacrifice play by Patrick Celis and a two-RBI double by Isaiah Lizama who then rounded the bases himself following a wild pitch as his team snatched control, 6-5.
However, D-9er’s rally was short-lived as the Natives returned fire and scored two runs off an error while Sibetang contributed an RBI single to put his team ahead once again 8-6.
D-9er’s continued to put up a fight with a solo run in the top of the fifth but the Natives bagged two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to stay afloat.
D-9er’s nearly pulled an upset by notching two runs in the top of the seventh and final inning, but the Natives’ pitcher Henry Fleming sealed the deal, 10-9, with the third out.
