Shorthanded Verizon edges Chura, 7-6

Even though they were missing a pair of their top players, Verizon eked out a win over Chura in a one-run contest in which neither of the power-hitting teams was able to break double digits in continuation of the Island Wide Slow Pitch Softball League.

The crowd that gathered at Tan Ge field witnessed one of the finest defensive performances by the squads that owned a share of first place in the standings, but a solo homerun over the right field fence by first baseman Tony Camacho proved to be the difference in the game as Verizon took sole possession of the top spot.

Camacho went 2-for-3 on the night with a single, a homerun, two runs scored and a run batted in. He stepped up his game at the plate, as did shortstop many Sablan, who also homered when he sent a three-run bomb over the right field fence in the first inning.

The clutch hitting helped Verizon overcome the absence of Joey Dela Cruz and Mark Toves to win the game, and illustrated the depth of their team.

John Reyes handed over the pitching duties to Frances George in favor of playing third base. Reyes went 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of singles, a run batted in, and a run scored. Teammates Sonny Sablan and Dwight Quitano each went 2-for3 with a pair of singles to help their squad off to a 7-2 lead after five innings before Chura rallied back with four runs off of six hits in the top of the sixth to bring the game to within one run. That’s as far as they would get, as Verizon cut off all long distance service to end the game 7-6.

Brotherhood 11, Survivors 4

The biggest upset of the night took place in the second game of the quadruple-header, as Brotherhood had the eye of the tiger as they racked up 17 hits in their 11-4 win over the Survivors.

The Survivors managed to both of their previous contests, but were knocked out of first place due to an offensive onslaught unlike any that the Brotherhood had seen in their previously futile attempts at the Oleai Sports Complex.

Tony Mareham had the solo homerun for Brotherhood in the top of the fourth inning, but his team earned the win with small ball, as 13 of their 17 hits were singles—and three of them were from Fonz Tarope. The first baseman went 3-for-4 with a pair of plate crossings to help the Brotherhood, while Tony Flores, Barrett Tarope, Ben Tagabuel, Stan Laniyo, and Ken Kalen each had a pair of hits as well.

Exclusive15, Fadang 5

Fadang looked as if they would have a decent shot at winning their first win of the young season on Thursday night when they roared out the gates with a four-run explosion in the top of the first, but they were quickly subdued by the Exclusive who answered back with five in the bottom of the inning.

John Acosta accosted the Fadang fielders with a flawless 3-for-3 outing at the plate in which he hit a single, a double, and an inside the park homerun before being walked in his final at bat. The right fielder accounted for four run when he crossed the plate and drove in a pair as well. Teammate Kelvin Cepeda also smacked a homer when he jacked a two-run shot that gave Exclusive the lead for good in the bottom of the first.

Flyers 20, Salty Boys 10

The Flyers continued where they left off last season by lumping on another win via the 10-run mercy rule over the Salty Boys when Mario Aguon singled in Manny Lizama to end the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Salty Boys were in the game as late as the fifth inning, when they led the Flyers 9-8, but they lost all control of the game in the bottom of the inning when they surrendered nine runs off of nine hits.

Roque Camacho went 3-for-3 with a pair of scores, three singles, and a sacrifice fly that got him an RBI, while Jerome Delos Santos went 2-for-4 with a double and an inside-the-park homerun that put the finishing touches on the nine-run rampage.