Asahi retains top spot in heading into playoffs

No. 1 seed Asahi retained their top spot heading into the playoffs with a win over second seed Hagu La’mun, 21-16, in the 2024 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association master’s division last Sunday at the Dandan Softball Field.

It was a home run derby of sorts for Asahi as the league just came off one the week before, and Asahi’s thirst for home runs were still unquenched.

After Hagu La’mun broke the ice with a three-run first inning from a two-run jack from Glenn Camacho and a solo shot by Jerome Delos Santos, Asahi had their fill in the third inning. Hagu La’mun couldn’t hit what Asahi pitcher Dom Hideo offered in the second while Asahi scored two off Andon Jones and Hector Efraim for a 2-3 game.

Then, Asahi’s breakout inning came in the third and fourth when they pummeled Hagu La’mun’s pitcher John Acosta.

Paython Rdiall hit a two-run homer, followed by another two-run shot by Jones to tie the game up, 7-7. Asahi then broke the tie quickly in the next inning with a two-run blast by Marino Hiroichi, while three more runs scored for a 12-7 game.

Hagu La’mun’s bats fell silent in the fourth, but picked up again in the fifth with a four-run inning to chip away at Asahi’s lead, 11-14. Rdiall then hit a solo homer in the sixth to put them up, 15-11.

It was still a close game after a quiet seventh for Asahi when Hagu La’mun rallied and tied the game up, 15-15, to force extra innings. In the end, Rdiall hit three round-trippers, while Jones hit two homers, and Hideo, Germance, and Hiroichi hit one each.

But Asahi proved why they’re the top team in the league as they scored six runs in the eight while Hagu La’mun scored just one more for a 21-16 final.

In other results, Tokahao blasted Man Amigos, 15-5; Peliliu slipped past the Redmen, 14-13; Saipal forfeited against Tuturamz; Sufa blanked Wazzup, 9-0.

In the standings behind Asahi is Hagu La’mun with a 13-5 record; next is Man Amigos tied with Sufa with a 12 win and six loss record; Tokahao is at 10-8; Peliliu is at an even 9-9; Wazzup are at 8-10; Tuturamz are 5-13; Redmen is at 4-14; and Saipal is down in the dumps with just one win and 17 losses.

The playoffs is set to start this Sunday, June 23, with the continuation on June 30. The best-of-3 championship game is also set for that day.