Freedom Air soars to third win

Freedom Air cruised to its third win in as many games in the Budweiser 2008 Inter-Government/Business Softball League after blanking Law & Order, 9-0, Monday night at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

The victory put Freedom Air to solo first place in the men’s division, while the loss dropped Law & Order to third place absorbing its first loss in three matches.

Freedom Air and Law & Order were in a six-way tie for the lead last week with identical 2-0 records before leftfielder Shane Yamada piloted Freedom Air to the solo No. 1 spot.

Yamada connected on a two-run homer at the bottom of the second inning, whil Roque Camacho and Reno Celis went 2-for-3 at-bat and made two runs apiece to lift Freedom Air to an easy win.

Camacho pitched in no relief for Freedom Air, allowing seven hits and walking three.

Law & Order struggled at-bat, going 8-for-26 for a batting average of .308. Freedom Air had a decent job at the plate hitting 14-for-34 for an average of .412.

Law & Order’s Derek Sasamoto, who blasted a grand slam in their previous game, was only 1-for-2 at-bat, as Freedom Air’s defense limited its foes’ trip at the plate. Only leftfielder Sylvia Ada made its three times at-bat, but was only 1-for-3.

Sasamoto had a chance to give Law & Order its first run at the bottom of the second when he reached third base. With two outs and Sasamoto on third and Manny Tenorio on second, catcher Daniel Joab stepped up to the plate.

Joab hit a grounder toward the rightfield, but Freedom Air first baseman Roy Celis caught the ball for the third out.

In the other men’s division game, the Public School System broke into the win column after whipping Commonwealth Utilities Corp., 7-1.

PSS lost its first two games before beating CUC, which tied its foe in fifth place with identical 1-2 slates.

A seven-run top of the fifth anchored by Jessie Taisacan’s two-run single allowed PSS to move out of slump. Pitcher John Terlaje, who was 0-for-2 in his previous trips at-bat, was also on target in that inning making a two-run triple.

CUC shut out PSS in the first four innings and led at 1-0 before the latter found its marks in the fifth inning.

Second baseman Ton Norita scored CUC’s lone run at the bottom of the second inning on a PSS error.

In the women’s division, Northern Marianas College reclaimed the top spot after edging Finance, 11-8.

NMC gained its second win in as many games, moving back to the No. 1 position and taking over DCCA’s place. DCCA holds a 2-1 slate. Finance after winning its debut had dropped its last two games.

Shortstop Pauline Camacho went perfect at-bat for NMC going 4-for-4, scoring two runs and making four RBIs. Her biggest contribution came at the top of the fourth inning when she connected on a three-run triple.

Centerfielder Liz Lebria led Finance’s losing cause, hitting 4-for-4, including a two-run single at the bottom of the second inning.