Bomsoro edges Hitters, 9-8

The all-star-laden championship of the Women’s Island-Wide Slow-Pitch Softball League got started with a thriller at Tan Ge Field as the pennant champion Bomsoro eked out a 9-8 victory over the Hitters on Tuesday night in front of a full house at the Oleai Sports Complex.

Pitcher Jovie Omar picked up another win for the red, white, and blue by fanning four and allowing eight runs off of 14 hits in the batter friendly format, but she aided her cause on the other side of the plate with a two-run single in the first inning and an RBI triple to finish 2-for-3 on the night.

Omar was a one-woman wrecking crew, but she got plenty of help from her dugout as Lei Betevua never missed an opportunity to finish 3-for-3 with three singles and two runs scored, while Dolores Rangamar went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and a run batted in.

While Bomsoro has a number of standout players, the team came together for a complete win on the field. The Hitters, on the other hand, were without the talents of defensive star and offensive threat, Rose Taman, but there were plenty of other yellow-clad ladies there to step up and take her place.

Sure-handed first baseman Pauline Tudela drove in a pair of runs off of a single and a triple to finish 3-for-3 on the night, and she put her base-running skills to work with three plate crossings.

Angela Ngirbedul equaled Tudela’s 3-for-3 mark and two runs batted in, but she did so with a pair of base knocks and a triple. While the duo was flawless, Pamela Riungel was fearless as she went 2-4 with a single and an impressive inside- the-park homerun in the bottom of the fifth with two outs.

Despite all of the talent and power, the only team to down Bomsoro in the regular season fell prey to the pennant champs once again. Early on, it looked like there was an upset in the making as the Hitters opened up the top of the first with four runs, but Bomsoro ripped off five in the bottom of the inning to take a one-run lead.

The Hitters tied the game at five apiece in the top of the fourth, but once again, Bomsoro did them one better by scoring twice in their next at bats to take a 7-5 lead.

The teams traded runs in the fifth inning, and the Hitters tied the game at eight apiece in the top of the sixth, but Bomsoro scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the inning and held on to take a 1-0 lead in the series. The action continues tonight as the teams meet once again under the lights of Tan Ge Softball Field at 6:30pm.