Four teams in 1st ever NMI Softball T-Ball League

The NMI Softball Association’s first ever T-Ball League was made up of four teams with games played at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios baseball field every Saturday over the past month.

The teams were the Blue Jays 1, Blue Jays 2, Pirates, and Padres. They started the league last July 20, ended last Aug. 10, and will cap with a family fun day this Saturday, Aug. 17, at 9am, also at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios baseball field.

The league was focused on the love of the game and the enjoyment of the little ones, as all batters in each lineup had a chance at the plate in a game that lasted three innings. They were also introduced to the fundamentals of hitting off the tee, throwing, base running, and fielding.

The Blue Jays 1 team consists of Millie Tenorio, Kentaro Muna Jr., Nakoa Torres, Chance Tomokane, Tominiko Hosono, Aliitoa Vaiagae, Manuia Passi, Tori Castro, Jances Passi, Adrian Leon Guerrero, Juan Leon Guerrero, Jayce Tyquiengco, Xander Ngeskebei, Josiah Duenas, Azaiah Hosono, and Ayven Sablan. The coaching staff includes Shine Tenorio, Jeff Tomokane, Nate Torres, and Scott Muna.

The Blue Jays 2 team includes Kaylynn Camacho, Keomi Rios, Joseph Lizama, Eliott Indalecio, Elijah Indalecio, Aikiden Fiden, Edwin Cabrera, Bentley Koshiro, Deighton Muna, Josiah Pangelinan, Kaiyo Alepuyo, Angel Ray Camacho, Ryan Camacho, and Ana Roberto. The coaching staff include Nate Sablan, Jeremy Koshiro, and Karina Camacho.

The Pirates team is made of Huck Bauer, Quinn Bauer, Thomas Flores, Scarlett Flores, Makai Cutting, Callem Torres, Jace Brennfleck, Waylon Beyer, Makai Owens, Jeremiah Pangelinan, Jayana Pangelinan, Cayden Flores, Declan Wingerter, Emily Fehrenbacker, and Ellis Fehrenbacker. The coaches are Rick Bauer, John Sablan, Derrick Cutting, Doemiko Flores, and Albert Flores.

The Padres are Mariana Salas, La’Rina Koreen Iguel, Trent Iguel, Enzo Salas, Luis Antonio Arriola, Lukas Leon Guerrero, Landon Ray Salas, John Iguel Jr., Ivy Litulumar, Landon Jay Pangelinan, Jose Flores, Xander Mendiola, Leland Ogumoro-Kintol, Skyler Sablan, Stella Sablan, and Qias Camacho. Special batters and bat boys are Kolten Iguel, Jett Salas, Dominic Miguel Salas, and Liam Ogumoro-Kintol. The coaches are Ton Salas, Jordan Suel, Rich Salas, Jay Kintol, and Zack Flores.

The formation of the NMI Softball Association happened just last April. The board consists of president Froilan Camacho, vice president Anthony Tomokane, secretary Melanie Rdiall, treasurer Carla Sablan, and public information officer Kyle Hocog, and board members Preston Basa and Erlinda Naputi. The federation was originally set up to send the NMI Women’s National Fast Pitch Softball Team to the Micronesian Games in Majuro, Marshall Islands last June. “The NMI Softball Association is the national federation for softball now and as we’re doing all this, it all leads to other programs,” said Hocog.

The league was in partnership with the Division of Youth Services and Hocog said they wanted to focus on grassroots for the development of softball. Hocog said that this year, as it was just for fun, “Everybody was a winner.” However, next year, he said that “it’ll be more competitive.”

Hocog then gave a shoutout to DYS, the volunteers—coaches and managers, and the families that came out. “We had a great outcome with the support,” he said of the league.