Kagman rallies to punish Pirates, 13-10

Down 10-4 after three innings, the kids from Kagman1-2-3 rallied with a seven-run fourth and pitcher Richard Dela Cruz held the Pirates scoreless to notch a complete game win in continuation of the Saipan Little League Baseball Association on Saturday at Tan Ge Field.

After opening the game by giving up 10 runs off of nine hits, Dela Cruz got his groove back to close out the final three innings without a run and just one hit. He didn’t do so bad on the other side of the plate either, as the pitcher turned hitter to finish 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, two runs batted in, and two stolen bases.

Marsnjo Wabol was even better as the first baseman went 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a two-run homerun, while shortstopper Leroy Regis went 2-for-4 with an RBI single, a three bagger, and lifted a pair of bags.

The win kept the homesteaders on course for the pennant at 7-2, just three games back of the undefeated Patriots (10-0).

McDonald’s (6-3) 10, Tanapag Braves (6-5) 7

After digging in a 3-1 hole through two and a half, the McDonald’s offense finally made their coach smile as they scored nine runs during the next three at bats to wrest control of the game from the Braves and leapfrog their opponents into fourth place in the standings.

Peter Tenorio has his lucky number seven working for him as he earned yet another complete game win for the little nuggets by striking out seven and allowing seven runs off of seven hits.

Tenorio was also the big cheese at the plate by driving in five runs off of a pair of homeruns and a double to finish 3-for-4, but he had a team full of small fries ready to swing away as younger brother Patrick went 2-for-3 with a single, a triple, and four scores.

Centerfielder Nathan Guerrero chipped in a pair of singles to the effort and third baseman Jake Hocog came in late to drive in a run off of two hits on the day.

Patriots (10-0) 11, Red Sox (2-10) 0

The undefeated Patriots continued to shine at Tan Ge as they became the first team to reach the 10-win plateau while the Red Sox became the first team to break into the 10-loss basement in the same game.

Pitchers Jonakin Deleon Guerrero and Joe Palacios split duty on the mound as the Patriots rocketed out of the ballpark early with a 11-0 win cut short by the league’s 10-run mercy rule after the fourth inning.

Deleon Guerrero gave up a hit and fanned four through the first two innings before Palacios held the Sox hitless and fanned a pair in the final two. Deleon Guerrero also provided some punch at the plate with an RBI single and a triple, but infielder extraordinaire Jeremy Rabauliman was the leader of the hit parade with a single, a triple, and a three-run inside the park homerun to finish 3-for-3 on the day.

Junior League

Hustlers (4-1) 8, Fielders (1-4) 0

Tony Rogolifoi pitched a scoreless complete-game no-hitter and foiled the Fielders through seven strong innings to deal the Hustlers into second place with a convincing 8-0 win at Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

Rogolifoi was in command on the mound as he fanned eight would-be hitters while his teammates generated a boatload of offense to get their ace a win. Were it not for his five walks, Rogo-cop would have pocketed a perfect game, but a scoreless no-hitter is nothing to laugh at.

Once again, rookie Junior Leaguer Nokki Lizama was the man with the plan as the catcher cranked out a string of singles and drove in a pair of runs to finish 3-for-4 on the day while shortstopper Phillip Manalo went 2-for-3 with an RBI single and an RBI triple.

Last week, Justin Alexander was the diamond darling on the hill, but this time around he powered out a pair of base knocks and stole a base to finish 2-for-4.

Senior League

Hustlers 9, Marlins 6

After neither team posted a run through two complete innings, the Hustlers broke open a six-all tie in the top of the ninth with a three-run flurry that was highlighted by Martin Pangelinan’s two-run inside the park homer to defeat the Marlins, 9-6, at Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

Pangelinan finished the day 2-for-3 with a double and his thrilling round tripper, but he wasn’t the only one with a penchant for timely hitting as centerfielder Keith Taitingfong went 1-for-4 with a three-run triple in the top of the third that pulled the Hustlers to within a run of the Marlins.

Despite the cheery outcome, the win didn’t come easy. With only one run on their side of the board through two innings, the Hustlers caught fire with a five-run third to overtake the Marlins, but the fish fought back to even the game at six apiece when Vince Concepcion crossed the plate in the bottom of the fourth.