Comets 1 dethrones Falcons

Comets 1 players celebrate after beating the Falcons, 8-1, in their title game in the Junior League division of the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball yesterday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Comets 1 ended the Talaabwogh Falcons’ reign in the Junior League after earning an 8-1 victory in their title rematch in the 2018 Saipan Little League Baseball yesterday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

Pitchers Bing Nakamura and Reid Teregeyo towed the Comets 1 to the easy win, which avenged the squad’s 2-8 loss to the same team in the finals last season. Besides getting even with the Falcons, the Comets 1 also foiled the latter’s bid for an unprecedented fourth straight title in the division.

Nakamura started for the Comets 1, giving up only one earned run and two hits in the 5.1 innings he worked the mound. Teregeyo then made the most out of his short pitching duties, shutting down the Falcons and striking out three batters.

Teregeyo also went 2-for-4 at bat and scored two runs and three RBIs with his two-run triple at the bottom of the sixth inning widening their gap and putting more pressure on the dethroned champions going into the top of the seventh and last inning.

The Comets 1 closer, who started his shift at the top of the fifth by striking out Chris Achas and followed it up with another K on Willy Cabrera for the third out, also fanned Cabrera, who led off for the Falcons at the top of the seventh. Cabrera had a full count and decided to take on Teregeyo’s sixth pitch, but came up with an empty swing.

Next at bat for the Falcons was Alex Yaguel, who let go of Tegegeyo’s first two pitches before making contact with the ball for a grounder to first. Comets 1 first baseman Justin Magofna first struggled to pick up the ball, but still got it before Yaguel reached the base, moving his team one out away from wrapping up the one-sided game and grabbing the division title from the Falcons.

With two outs, all eyes were focused on the Falcons’ Clifton Norita, who also connected on a grounder with the ball heading down third base and the Comets 1’s Nate Aizon picking it up and throwing to Magofna for the third out and their squad’s finals win.

The Comets 1 started the finale with a 3-0 lead, thanks to Bing Nakamura’s two-run triple at the bottom of the first inning. Nakamura also reached off Teregeyo’s sacrifice fly.

The Falcons had chances to score at the bottom of the first inning, but were frustrated by the Comets 1’s defense. Taisei Desebel managed to make it to third off a walk and errors, but was tagged out at home by Comets 1 catcher Jay Lifoifoi. Keoni Serrano also reached third, while Jonathan Riungel was at first with two outs, but they were left stranded when Comets 1 center fielder Justin Agulto caught a fly ball from Lucio Aldan to end the inning.

After the missed opportunities, the Falcons tried anew in the second inning and scored their only run in the finals with Yaguel’s single bringing Cabrera home. The three-time champion then had two runners stuck again when Desebel flied out at left field.

The Falcons continued to struggle against the Comets 1’s defense, while the latter scored three runs in the third and fourth to gain more cushion en route to the title win.