Skoba beats up Pound Town for men’s title

The torrential morning rain that drenched Saipan last Sunday finally cleared up to give way to Labor Day festivities.

When the baseball fields finally became playable, Skoba put in the work until late into the night and beat up Pound Town, in a close 8-7 men’s division finals of the Inaugural CNMI Labor Day Softball Tournament 2024 last Sunday at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Baseball Field.

Skoba’s third inning score-rush was the difference in the game as Pound Town tried to get something going in the last inning for a last-minute rally.

Skoba led 1-0 after the second inning when Foru Kintol scored. Pound Town then came out guns blazing at the top of the third when they scored five runs by Nosh Palacios, J.R. Suel, Ben Jones Jr., Marc Iguel, and Darion Jones, for a 5-1 lead.

Then, Skoba erupted with a seven-run third inning to lead, 8-5. Consecutive runners on base led to seven straight runs pushed across to home plate by Jonah Flores, Ping Santos, Tony Salas, R.J. Joe, Brian Camacho, Nate Camacho, and Eli Aughenbaugh.

Pound Town then went on a hunt for more runs and tacked one in the sixth to inch closer, 6-8. In the final inning, however, they came up short as they scored just one more and handed the championship to Skoba, 7-8.

Skoba included Ping Santos, Tony Salas, R.J. Joe, Brian Camacho, Nate Camacho, Eli Aughenbaugh, Foru Kintol, Jerald Cabrera, Zack Tudela, Thorn Sablan, Pete Tenorio, and Jonah Flores.

Pound Town was made up of Ben Jones Jr., Nokki Saralu, Marc Iguel, Darion Jones, Vince Torres, Jordan Suel, Luis Iguel, Irvin Saralu, Dave Jones, Watz Taisakan, Jared Ayuyu, Mike Iguel, Nosh Palacios, and J.R. Suel.

The 10 men’s teams include 4KUNI, Bat-titude, Blue Jays, Team Luta (Rota), Parre’ Pack, Pound Town, Skoba, Sons of San Jose (Tinian), Mamaww, and Titang.

Results of the women’s division will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.

Tony Salas, committee member of the tourney said of the final round teams, “Pound Town is a great team which consists of strictly family and close friends. It was a hard-fought game. Rain started toward the fifth inning so it added another challenge to an already close game. [The] game came down to the very last play and Skoba eventually came out victorious.”

As for the Rota and Tinian teams that came out to join the inaugural tourney, Salas said, “We were really fortunate to have two teams from neighboring islands join in on the festivities. Team Luta’s dugout was all good vibes all throughout the weekend. They played hard and gave it their all from start to finish.”

“Sons of San Jose was filled with high energy and competitiveness no matter who they played or what the score was. The guys from Tinian were ready for battle every game,” he said. “The fact that we got a team from Tinian and Rota was such a blessing. It made our tournament even more special because we had teams from other islands.”

He then said, “We are already excited for next year.”

The sponsors of the tournament include Rep Malcom Omar (Ind-Saipan); MARPAC and Guy Pudney; Senate President Edith DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan); Taste Town (Laurese Kileleman Mettao); John Oliver Gonzales; Kimberlyn King-Hinds; Saipan Mayor’s Office; Vinnie Sablan; Saipan Shipping Co.; Juan Santiago; Melissa Litulimar and company; Cathy Salas and company; Rep. Jonthan “BJ” Attao (Ind-Saipan); Rep Ralph Yumul (Ind-Saipan); Rep John Paul Sablan (Ind-Saipan); Rep Manny Gregory Castro (Ind-Saipan); Rep. Diego Camacho (Ind-Saipan); House Speaker Edmund Villagomez (Ind-Saipan); Rep. Patrick San Nicolas (R-Saipan); Rep. Angelo Camacho (Ind-Saipan); Juan and Lucy Aldan; Rep. Marissa Flores (Ind-Saipan); Rep. Denita Yangetmai (D-Saipan); Rep Joel Camacho (Ind-Saipan); Stormy Salas; Tracy Del Rosario, and Rose Del Rosario.