CNMI Juniors sweep into finals

MUNICIPAL BASEBALL FIELD, Tinian—The CNMI Junior Leaguers closed out their final two games of the 2005 Asia-Pacific Regional Tournament with back-to-back wins over the Philippines on Tuesday night and yesterday afternoon’s mercy shortened contest with Indonesia to earn their spot in this morning’s championship in sweeping fashion.

The youngest team from Saipan will have the home field advantage in more ways than one when they face their biggest rival Guam this morning at 9am after winning last night’s coin flip in the press box.

The CNMI prevailed in their first meeting during a seesaw battle that opened the tournament, but that win won’t count for anything if they lose the opener of championship day.

While the Junior Leaguers had to play their remaining games to determine their status, the CNMI Big Leaguers enjoyed a couple of days off following their big wins over Guam and the Philippines. Though they have been absent from game play, they have been busy running up and down the roads of Tinian before the sun made its daily appearance over the Pacific. Despite dominating in their first two starts by a total combined score of 28-8, manager Jess Wabol has repeatedly told his players that just playing in the regional tournament is not enough.

The final battle of the 2005 Asia-Pacific Regional Tournament for the right to play in Easley, South Carolina begins today at 3pm.

JUNIOR LEAGUE
CNMI 14, Philippines 13

The CNMI barely eked out a win over the Philippines on Tuesday night for its third win of the tournament in a game that featured five lead changes, five pitchers per team, and some 500 fans that lined the field.

The teams combined to put on an offensive display for the fans as they combined to score 27 runs off of 35 hits, and the onlookers were as into the game as were the players.

After taking a commanding 7-0 lead through two and a half innings, the CNMI watched as the Philippines scored five runs in the bottom of the third and three in the fourth to take the lead 8-7. The guns kept blazing in the fifth as the CNMI regained the lead by scoring four runs in their next at bat to hold onto an 11-8 lead, but the free-swinging Filipinos answered with five in the bottom of the inning to surge ahead, 13-11.

The CNMI still had some rounds in the chamber, as they scored three runs in their next at bat and held on with fourth and fifth pitchers Ryan Ada and Jonathan Salas keeping the Pinoy powerhouse at bay.

Ofero Taitano continued his excellence at the plate by smacking four singles and driving in three runs to finish 4-for-5, while Salas went 3-for-4 with three singles and a stolen base.

Philippines 14,
Hong Kong 4

Roughly 12 hours after dropping a heartbreaker to the CNMI in which they scored 13 runs, the Philippines rebounded with a 14-4 shellacking of the Hong Kong delegation in an abbreviated affair cut short due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Catcher Miko Olivares was the brightest star for the Philippines with a stellar 3-for-3 performance at the plate that included three singles, two runs batted in, and a pair of stolen bases.

Olivares wasn’t the only player from the Philippines with power, as third baseman- turned-relief pitcher Adrian Bernardo went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and two ribbies, and centerfielder Joel Lomotan drove in three runs with two doubles.

Carlos Laurel went 2-for-2 with two base hits for the Philippines in their final game of the round robin. Despite close games and plenty of offense, the Philippines finished 1-3 alongside Indonesia, and one better than winless Hong Kong at 0-4.

SENIOR LEAGUE
Guam 15, Philippines 3

The Guamanian’s offensive output was overwhelming yesterday as the team from the southernmost island of the Marianas chain blasted their finals foes 15-3 in seven innings of one-sided baseball.

While the CNMI and Hong Kong were eliminated from the championship a couple of days ago, the Philippines and Guam squared off in the final game of the Senior League round robin that was only close for a moment.

After the Philippines cut Guam’s edge to one run through threes innings, they suffered a knockout blow in the top of the fourth when the islanders piled on six runs by capitalizing on a series of hits and walks.

Second baseman Kurt Diaz drove in three runs off of a single and a double while shortstop Derwin Aguon smacked an RBI double and scored three times. By the time the dust settled, Guam scored 15 runs off of 13 hits and held the Philippines to just four hits.

The Senior League championship will be decided in a rematch of yesterday’s contest between Guam and the Philippines in today’s second game at noon.

JUNIOR LEAGUE
CNMI 17, Indonesia 6

The CNMI closed out its final game of the tournament with a blowout of the Indonesians by scoring 17 runs off of 19 hits through five innings before the umpires invoked the 10-run mercy rule.

The ground’s crew didn’t have to flick on the light switch as Isaih Wabol and company handed their opponents their third loss in a lopsided match. Wabol didn’t miss a beat, slugging a perfect 3-for-3 with two singles, a double, and four runs batted in, while second baseman Ofero Taitano checked in with an RBI single and a three-run triple amidst a 2-for-5 outing at the ball park.

Third baseman Marley Techur was 2-for-2 at the plate with a single, a double, and an RBI, as was Juan Iguel, who smacked a pair of singles and stole two bases. Iguel carried his success at the plate to the mound, as he went the distance in the abbreviated contest allowing six runs off of five hits and fanning a six-pack of Indonesians to put a capper on a 4-0 sweep of the Junior League.