Ol’Aces down IT&E in Majors division game

A Docomo Ol’Aces batter waits for a pitch during their game against IT&E Regulators in the Majors division of the SLLB last Saturday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Docomo Ol’Aces won the battle of teams backed by telecommunication companies after outlasting IT&E Regulators, 8-5, in their Majors division game in the 2016 Saipan Little League Baseball last Saturday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.
The Ol’Aces racked up five runs in the last three innings, while holding IT&E to one run in the final half of the match to steal the victory.

T.J. Rogilifoi reached home off an error at the top of the fourth and the Ol’Aces got another run from an IT&E miscue to grab the upper hand. Ken Kaipat, who relieved started Shane Borja, then kept the Ol’Aces’ shaky lead after striking out IT&E’s second and third batter and grounding out the fourth one to leave leadoff batter Keith Aldan stranded at first base at the bottom of the fourth.

IT&E also failed to score in the fifth with Kaipat getting three more Ks, while the Ol’Aces added one run for a 6-4 cushion with Andre Macaranas making it home off a wild pitch. The Ol’Aces went on to gain more distance at the top of the last inning, 8-4, thanks to Kaipat’s RBI single and a sacrifice out from Lufo Babauta.

At the bottom of the last, IT&E remained in contention when Aldan reached home off a catches error with only one out. However, that was IT&E’s last stand, as Kaipat, who struck out leadoff batter Pat Blas, also brought down Ray Babauta and Jesse Stole.

The Ol’Aces needed the late push to beat IT&E as the former were limited to one run apiece from the first to the third inning. Babauta had an RBI single in the first inning, while Nathan Aizon hit an RBI double in the second, and Kaipat scored off an IT&E error in the third.

IT&E was without a run in the first two innings, but moved on top after a four-run bottom of the third, highlighted by Patrick Celis’ two-run homer. IT&E got the two other runs from the Ol’Aces’ miscues.

In the final Majors division match last Saturday, the Comets shut down the Falcons, 4-0.

Bing Nakamura pitched in no relief for the Comets in six innings and recorded 13 strikeouts. He gave up only three hits and walked one. Nakamura foiled the Falcons’ bid to hit the board in the last inning as he picked up a grounder and threw to first for the last out, leaving Kyle Kapileo stranded at third base.

The Comets scored all their four runs off the Falcons’ booboos with Sneak Sumor registering two of them.