DCCA rallies, repeat as women’s champ

Nadia Tagabuel blasted a three-run, inside-the-park home run in Game 2 to help Department of Community and Cultural Affairs repeat as the women’s division champion in the Inter-government Softball League.

DCCA used an eight-run bottom of the sixth scoring spree to score a come-from-behind 13-10 win over the Northern Marianas College-Proa in Friday night’s finals at the Miguel Basa “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Field.

Trailing 10-5, after 5 1/2 innings, Arlene Likisap led off with a single off relief pitcher Angela Ngirbedul. She advanced to second on a Benny Mettao fielder’s choice then moved to third on another fielder’s choice by Ruth Sakisat with Likisap scoring in that play.

Mettao, however, was tagged out on a 6-4-put-out play while trying to reach second base for the first out. Abby Atalig singled in Sakisat while Lorna Iginoef walked to continue DCCA’s comeback.

But Iginoef was tagged out while going to second bas on an Evita Maratita fielder’s choice as Proa kept DCCA’s runners on hold at first base. Bert Camacho, with two outs, singled while Doris Rangamar walked.

Jovie Omar then connected on a two-RBI single to let Maratita and Camacho reach home while Rangamar moved to third in the same play.

That set up Tagabuel’s three-run shot as she brought Ngirbedul’s 2-2 pitch, still with two outs, sailing deep at the right-center field fence.

Nadia Saralu grounded out on a 4-3 put-out play to end the inning.

Proa still has a chance to force a Game 3 but Omar slammed the door shut in the top of the seventh by forcing them to either fly out or ground out, which was fielded cleanly by the DCCA defense.

Likisap and Atalig combined for 6-for-6 in batting with two runs and two RBIs, while Bert Camacho went 3-for-4 with three runs and Rangamar went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Omar went 2-for-4 scoring two runs, had three RBIs, and a triple while Tagabuel, who was named the finals most valuable player, went 2-for-4 with four RBIs to go with her two runs and a bottom of the sixth four-bagger.

The members of the DCCA team are Evita Maratita, Bert Camacho, Doris Rangamar, Jovie Omar, Nadia Tagabuel, Nadia Saralu, Arlene Likisap, Benny Mettao, Ruth Sakisat, Abby Atalig, and Lorna Iginoef.

DCCA won Game 1 earlier in the day, 18-14, to complete the shutout win and their title defense.