Man Amigos, Sakudi claim pennant titles

The 2011 runner-up Man Amigos finished tied in the standings with defending champions Natibu, while last year’s women’s champs Sakudi finished atop its division standings with newcomer squad Check it Out.

The teams squared off Monday night to see who would be issued the first place ranking in the ensuing playoffs.

Man Amigos routed Natibu, 26-6, while Sakudi spanked Check It Out, 10-4.

Then on Tuesday Man Amigos advanced through its upper bracket playoff match, 21-19, over Saipal, while Your Balls triumphed over the Manelos, 18-14.

Women’s Rookies (5) squeaked past the 2011 runner-up Enamo Meta (4), 7-6.

Upper Natibu (2) took on the Warriors (7) and Gagu Eyez (3) challenged Berdax (6) last night.

In addition, X-clusive faced Familia and Talu Fahn collided with Managaha in the men’s six-team lower bracket pairings. Results will be released later this week.

Man Amigos 21, Saipal 19

Man Amigos had an 11-1 lead from the first two innings but it turned into just a 13-11 advantage in the third frame of Tuesday’s opening men’s match.

Man Amigos’ Jerry Ayuyu belted a three-run home run that was followed by an RBI single from Roy Celis and a two-run blast by J.J. Laniyo in the first inning for a 7-1 start in the first inning.

The team added four runs in its next turn thanks to a grand slam by Ayuyu.

Saipal then roared back with 10 runs in the top of the third inning with a pair of two-run shots by Greg Iskawa and Kuich Damian; a run snuck in between the long balls via a fielder’s choice, while two more came home of an error and a base rip by Marino Hiroichi before Iskawa capped off the rally with a three-run homer.

Man Amigos managed to get a couple runs back in the bottom portion off three hits and some errors.

The count shifted, 18-13, as the league frontrunners added a handful of runs in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of RBI smashes by Ayuyu and Manny Sablan and a three-run bomb by Jerome Delos Santos.

Both teams came up empty in the fifth before Saipal poked its nose in front, 19-18, in the top of the sixth inning off seven hits, including a two-run home run by Clifton Sillil, but Man Amigos got it done in the end.

The sixth inning was declared the final frame due to time constraints and the Man Amigos’ John Reyes made it on and around off errors to tie the match and a hit later, Sablan sealed the deal with a two-run walk-off home run.

Ayuyu batted 4-for-4 with eight RBIs and another run.

Rookies 7, Enamo Meta 6

Rookies’ Beatrice Kainoa broke the ice after scoring off an error in the first inning. She led off the game with a single.

Rookies then held down a 3-1 advantage after a two-RBI single by Jemma Tenorio that scored Rita Camacho and Maribel Igitol. Enamo Meta’s Felisa Brel singled and scored off an error in the bottom frame.

Both teams added a run in the third inning and Enamo Meta made it a one-run game in the fourth thanks to an RBI base knock by Cleo Baulechong.

Rookies responded, however, in the top of the fifth and pushed ahead, 6-3, off an error and an RBI poke by Connie Lizama.

Enamo Meta managed to tie the match at 6-all in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Rookies’ Erica Tenorio busted what ended up being the game-winning single for the win. Teammate Sasha Atalig led off the top of the seventh and reached on an error before scoring the go-ahead run. Enamo Meta went 1-2-3 in the final stand.

Your Balls 18, Manelos 14

The match started out tied at 5-apiece after just the first inning and before the Manelos assumed an early 13-6 lead in the next frame.

Manelos’ Ton Tenorio bagged an RBI single, Pete Tomokane cracked a three-run homer, Shane Mendiola a two-run home run, and two other runs snuck home off errors. Your Balls managed only one run off an error in the top side.

Your Balls later pulled within a run in the fourth inning off five hits that were highlighted by a grand slam by Audie Maratita. The other runs came from a walk with the bases loaded and an RBI base rip by Joshua Arriola.

Your Balls carried the momentum with them into the fifth inning and mustered six more runs.

A couple of early errors set up a costly three-run homerun by Juan Maratita, while the additional runs came off a fielder’s choice and a two-RBI double by J.P. Lizama.

Manelos also went 1-2-3 in the final stand. The sixth inning of this match was also deemed the final inning due to time constraints.

Man Amigos 26, Natibu 6

Man Amigos built a 5-0 lead in the first inning and held Natibu scoreless until its third turn at the plate.

Man Amigos’ Jerry Ayuyu and Roy Celis bagged RBI singles and J.J. Laniyo bashed a two-run homerun in the opening frame, while Natibu’s Ned Norita lifted a solo blast in the third for his team’s first shred of offense.

Later in the fourth inning, Man Amigos shot ahead, 14-1, and never looked back.

A sacrifice fly by Mike Sablan and a two-RBI single by Vinnie Sablan was followed by a pair of three-run homers by Ayuyu and Laniyo.

The team then hung up another dozen runs in the fifth off as many hits with a couple of fielder’s choices and a few errors late in the onslaught. Natibu was held to just five runs in the final stand.

Ayuyu batted 5-for-5 with five RBIs and another run.

Sakudi 10, Check It Out 4

Sakudi fired the first blow in the second inning as Eileen Babauta singled and made it home off a fielder’s choice.

They then added four more runs in the third inning from a two-RBI triple by Thelma Mizer and a pair of RBI singles by Rachel Salalila and Babauta.

Sakudi then took a healthy 7-0 lead in the top of the fourth after another triple by Mizer who was escorted home with a sacrifice fly by Salalila.

Check It Out’s Keolani Rios scampered on and around off an error in the bottom frame, but Sakudi went ahead, 9-1, in the top of the fifth thanks to a two-RBI triple by Bert Camacho.

Check It Out’s Keina Rogopes busted an RBI triple in the bottom portion, however her teammates were held to two runs in their last two turns at the plate.

Mizer swung 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.

By Walter J. Sutherland
Reporter