Verizon scores back-to-back wins in SSA

The underhanded lobbing lords of the diamond were crowned on Thursday night at Tan Ge Softball Field as Verizon closed out the regular season of the Island Wide Slow Pitch Softball League with a pair of wins over the Salty Boys to take the pennant.

A lackluster beginning was forgotten following a nine-run fourth and a 10-run sixth, as Verizon reached out and touched the Salty Boys for 26 runs off of 26 hits in six innings to take the first game of the double-header.

Catcher Manny Sablan led the long distance providers with the most long-balls, as the slugger went a flawless 5-for-5 with four homeruns and a single en route to tallying five runs batted in. Sablan was in the zone, and hit two home runs in the top of the sixth inning alone.

Once they got warmed up, Verizon scored at will on the Salty Boys, but they struggled early. After taking a 3-0 lead, Verizon allowed the Salty Boys to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning. They fell behind 7-4 on the strength of a four-run five-hit third that gave the Salty Boys momentum, but Verizon dialed up some offense in their next at bats by scoring nine runs off of nine hits to regain the lead, 13-7—including back-to-back-to-back homeruns by pitcher Tony Camacho, Sablan, and left fielder Nick Castro. Aside from the smacking shot and picking up the win, Camacho racked up a pair of singles and two homeruns to finish 4-for-5 on the night with seven runs batted in.

Verizon 15, Salty Boys 4

After leading by a hefty sum through five and a half innings, Verizon won their second game of the night when first baseman Tony Camacho hit a two-run homerun that force the umpires to invoke the Saipan Softball Association’s 10-run mercy rule that sent everyone home early.

Verizon won again in the second game of the night 15-4, but struggled to find their bats early much like the first game. They were behind 4-0 through three and a half innings before waking up to the tune of a six-run six-hit salvo in the bottom of the fourth, and repeating the feat in the fifth to take a 12-4 lead before Camacho finished them off in the sixth.

Camacho finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI triple and a homerun to finish with three ribbies, while Manny Sablan went 1-for-2 with a two-run shot and a sac fly.

Pitcher Nick Castro picked up the win for Verizon—their 11th— and went 2-for-3 at the plate with a single, a double, and two runs scored.