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Hustlers only a win away
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Posted on Jan 16 2005
After dropping their game on Saturday to the Heinz & David North Stars by a score of 9-6, the Rep. Dave Apatang Hustlers circled the wagons to retake the best-of-five series lead by shattering the Glazers, 14-3, yesterday at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field, to pull within a victory of repeating as champions of the fall edition of the Saipan Major League.
Still feeling the sting from the Glazers’ win the day before, the Hustlers unleashed their bats in the top of the second inning to score all of the runs that they would need. Led by slugger Dane Lizama’s 3-for-5 performance at the plate, the pennant-winning Hustlers scored 14 runs off of 12 hits.
Lizama successfully reached base in each of his five at bats, and finished with a pair of singles, a double, and four scores on the day.
Teammate A.J. Allen went 2-for-4 with the bat, knocking a pair of singles and scoring three times, while fellow Hustler Manny Sablan also went 2-for-4, with a single, a double, and two scores for the catcher.
The Hustlers got a solid outing from starting pitcher Jonathan Camacho, who went 5 1/2 innings atop the mound.
Camacho allowed two runs off of nine hits and struck out one batter before being relieved by Byron Kaipat one out into the top of the sixth inning. Kaipat allowed one run off of four hits and struck out three in 3 2/3 innings of work.
So far, Kaipat has recorded 9 2/3 innings and allowed five runs off of 12 hits while walking just one through two games in the series, while Camacho has totaled 8 1/3 innings, and allowed just one run off of six hits, while walking four and fanning five.
The Hustlers’ defense also showed up to the game yesterday afternoon, and helped to keep home plate unmolested until the fifth inning, as the unit recorded three double plays and a rare triple play in the top of the third inning.
With the win, the Hustlers are just nine innings away from winning the championship series for the second consecutive season. The teams will return to the ballpark next Saturday, July 22, at 9am for Game 4 in the best-of-five championship series.
