Dandan, Kobler claim PSS softball crowns

The elementary schools of Dandan and Koblerville won the boys’ and girls’ softball titles after beating separate opponents in Friday’s finals of the 2008 Public School System Fast-pitch Softball League at the Miguel Basa “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Field.

The Dandan Tottot squeezed out a thrilling 2-1 win over the San Vicente Canaries in the boys’ division while the Koblerville Umangs coasted to a 15-5 triumph over the Gregorio T. Camacho Binadu in the girls’ class.

The Tottot-Canaries game was a pitching duel between the Dandan pair of Alex Monkeya and A.J. Hambros, and San Vicente’s duo of Frankie Blas and James Gonzales.

Most of Dandan and San Vicente’s players are also seeing action in various teams in the Majors division of the Saipan Little League.

Monkeya pitched three innings in start for Dandan yielding one earned run on six hits with strikeout and no walks. Hambros pitched four one-hit innings in relief with one strikeout and no walks.

Blas and Gonzales divided pitching duties for San Vicente combining for one earned run on four hits with one strikeout and four walks.

But Tottot second baseman L.J. Hemley made the game-winning play in the bottom of the seventh to bring the championship trophy to Dandan.

Gonzales and the San Vicente defense quickly got the two outs in the bottom of the seventh to fan the Canaries’ hopes of sending the game into an extra inning. He gave up consecutive walks to Hambros and Daniel Smith.

But the Canaries defense responded as San Vicente catcher Tommy Reyes threw to second baseman Blas to prevent Hambros from advancing to second for the first out.

Shortstop Thomas Reyes and Tommy Aldan caught Smith on a rundown throwing with the latter making the tag for the second out. Then everything went wrong for the Canaries after that.

Hemley took a 2-2 count and connected on Gonzales’ sixth pitch for a single when he found a gap between second and third base. Hemley then advanced to second on a Jose Lizama fielder’s choice and moved to third on an error by San Vicente third baseman Aldan.

Esiah Cruz was safe on first in that Aldan error. Hemley then took advantage of the confusion that took place with the Canaries and stole home to end the game as he was greeted by his teammates at the plate.

Dandan was the first different champion after nine years. Koblerville held the title for nine years with their bid of a 10th straight crown being derailed after a 1-2 loss to eventual champions Tottot.

The Umang’s first 11 hits in the semifinal match against the Tottot were all pop flies.

Koblerville 15, GTC 5

Earlier, the Koblerville Lady Umangs ended its years of frustration to score a 15-5 rout of the GTC Binadu.

The Lady Umangs were undefeated last year but lost to 2007 champions Oleai Turtles in the semis. They settled in third place after that dumping the Garapan Mallards, 22-2.

It was Koblerville’s first title after five years where they settled for either second or third in that stretch. They avenged their last year’s semis loss to Oleai, 14-4, to end the Turtles’ back-to-back title bid.

Angela Achime and Zoralyn Magofna hit back-to-back homers for the Lady Umangs to lead Koblerville’s hit parade. Koblerville peppered GTC pitcher Janece Salas, who went the distance, with 12 hits.

Achime went 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBIs. She led the Lady Umangs’ strong start blasting a two-run home run in the first inning then added a two-RBI double in the third.

Magofna also homered in the first inning a solo shot right after Achime’s two-run blast. She also scored thrice, had a double, and an RBI.

Catcher Stevelyn Muna went perfect at the plate going 3-for-3, all singles, scoring three times with two stolen bases and three RBIs. Kristi Sablan went 2-for-2 with two runs.