Next stop: Fukuoka

LIYUG FIELD, ROTA—For the second year in a row, the island of Saipan will be representing the CNMI in the Asia-Pacific Regional Tournament after downing Rota in the finals of the District Championship, 21-2.

With baseball fans from all corners of the Commonwealth packing the grandstand yesterday, Saipan sluggers scored 21 runs off of 21 hits to rout the home team—the biggest of which came off the bat of centerfielder Eric Tenorio when he smacked a grand slam in the top of the third that brought the crowd to its feet.

After he rounded the bases to put his team ahead, 7-2, Saipan’s top hitter was mauled by his teammates before he had the chance to return to the dugout. Tenorio saved his performance for the biggest game of the tournament by hitting a perfect 3-for-3 with a single, two homeruns, and eight runs batted in. He had the chance to repeat the grand feat later in the inning when the bases were loaded for his second at bat, but a bean ball gave him a free ride to first base and his seventh RBI of the day.

The Saipan squad didn’t have to win with the bat alone, as Nokkie Lizama went the distance for his fellow all-stars in the abbreviated affair allowing just two runs off of two hits, while retiring nine batters via strikeout to pick up the win—including the final out of the game to centerfielder Gary Toves.

Lizama also served up four walks in the game to allow Rota to tie the game in the bottom of the first inning when left fielder Jonathan Ayuyu singled in Jermaine Calvo before Jonathan Lizama stole home to even the score at two apiece.

Rather than get rattled, the “King of K’s” returned in the second with confidence in his teammates and fanned the next three outs. If he had any trepidations, Lizama didn’t have to worry about the fate of the game as his teammates provided for plenty of offense that more than made up the difference during the 15-run third inning.

With the game tied at two, Saipan went Anatahan by exploding for 15 runs off of 10 hits in the top of the third to put the game out of reach for Rota. Aside from the hard-hitting Tenorio, every player in the Saipan line-up got a pair of at bats.

Third baseman David Jones made the most of his two shots at Luta pitching by smacking a single and a two-run triple before scoring twice himself. Right fielder Peter Tenorio also enjoyed his turns at the plate by hitting a pair of singles, scoring a pair of runs, and stealing a base in the end.

By the end of their at bat, it was all over but the screaming, as Saipan held a commanding 17-2 lead. The fans continued to cheer and both teams continued to play, but the host team was unable to generate any more offense, and the umpires were forced to invoke the 10-run mercy rule at the close of the fourth inning—ensuring the Saipan faithful of a happy homecoming tomorrow.