Sliding Dirty secures women’s title

Sliding Dirty came out of the ashes to win the women’s division championships in two games over Lady Sufa in the Inaugural CNMI Labor Day Softball Tournament 2024 last Sunday at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Softball Field.

In the finals, Sliding Dirty had to win two games to swipe the championship away from Lady Sufa.

The second game was a nail-biter as Sliding Dirty won, 10-8 to secure the title.

Sliding Dirty’s Rayna Deleon Guerrero, Kianu Aldan, Keolani Rios, and Amy Cabrera got the game going at the bottom of the first as they scored a run each for an early 4-0 lead. Then, Lady Sufa got down to business as they wanted to push for a tie-breaking third game and scored three in the second inning, 3-4.

Sliding Dirty were then shut down as they scored just one in the third and it was still a close game, 5-3. Lady Sufa managed to push a run across and was behind by just one again, 4-3.

But Sliding Dirty got their rhythm back and the top four of their lineup crossed the plate once again for a much more comfortable 9-4 lead. Lady Sufa tried to make for a rally as they scored four in the sixth off their first four batters too—Jaylina Borja, Ashley Angui, Bong Babauta, and Maiyah Duenas for an 8-9 game.

With Lady Sufa breathing down their neck, Sliding Dirty’s Christy Aldan scored their last run in the sixth and held on to win, 10-8.

In the first game, Sliding Dirty won, 14-4.

Sliding Dirty got down and dirty early as they scored five in the first for a 5-0 lead. Lady Sufa then got on board in the second to make it 2-5.

Then, Sliding Dirty added four more runs at the bottom of the second for an even bigger lead, 9-2.

Their pitching shut down Lady Sufa in two innings while they went on to score four more in the third to blow the game wide open, 13-2. Only three more runs would come in for Lady Sufa in the fifth and the seventh, which was not even halfway to Sliding Dirty’s lead. Sliding Dirty then scored one more in the sixth for a 14-4 victory.

The roster of Sliding Dirty included Amy Cabrera, Keolani Rios, Christy Aldan, Kianu Aldan, Ashlie Aguon, Kiana “Baby K” Camacho, Maria I. Quitugua, Lizann Deleon Guerrero, Tiah Camacho, Rayna Deleon Guerrero, Evalyn Lizama, Moriah Sablan, and Carey Demapan.

Coaches of the team were Nate Torres, Chris Sablan, and Adam Salalila.

Tony Salas, committee member of the tourney, said of the final round teams, “Women’s division champs Sliding Dirty had to double dip the undefeated Lady Sufa and which they did. Both teams played hard but Sliding Dirty came out on top and won it the hard way.”

As for the tourney, he said, “It was a blast. Mother Nature blessed us with a little rain. The committee and volunteers were determined to get both fields back to playable conditions. We will for sure be having another tournament next year. So, block your calendar for 2025.”

He then said, “Just wanted to say thank you to everyone that helped out during the tournament. Thank you to all the volunteers willing to get their hands dirty and make those fields playable. Thank you to all the coaches and players for being patient with us and playing through some tough conditions. See you guys 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.