Saipan teams advance to championship

Saipan’s Major and Senior All-Star teams advanced to the finals of their respective district tournaments after thoroughly beating their counterparts from Rota and Tinian yesterday.

Playing at the Joaquin Ogo Sr. Baseball Field in Sinapalo, the Saipan Major All-Stars drubbed Tinian in the first game, 14-2, and held Rota to a run in a 12-1 victory in the second. Both matches ended via the 10-run mercy rule.

In the opener, Saipan starting pitcher A.J. Lizama was rattled early by Tinian as Brad Borja and Steven Sablan gave the latter a 2-0 lead.

But Saipan quickly retaliated as the island’s batters pelted Tinian’s starter with hits that resulted in six home plate crossings to give the powerhouse team a 6-2 advantage.

Lizama, for his part, settled down after the shaky start pitching in no relief and recording seven strikeouts while giving up four hits and being assessed an error.

Saipan then cut the game short with eight more runs in the third before Lizama finished off Tinian’s batters 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth.

Lizama also did some heavy lifting from plate, contributing two runs after going 2-for-2 as well as adding two RBIs.

In the second game against Rota, Saipan drove in six runs in the fourth inning after scoring the same number in the first three to bludgeon the hosts, 12-1.

Jun Rabauliman led Saipan in the rout, going 3-for-3 with two hits and three RBIs.

Jeremy Lizama, meanwhile, matched his namesake’s performance from the mound, striking out six batters while giving up a lone hit and walking three.

Challenging Saipan in the finals today is Rota after the hosts beats Tinian, 15-8.

In the Senior League played at the old ballpark in Songsong Village, Saipan Senior All-Stars opened up the district tournament with a 17-3 whipping of Rota.

Saipan scored six runs in the first, two each in the third and fourth innings, before closing out strong with four runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings.

Anthony Rogolofoi gave up three runs against Tinian in the third when Thomas Barcinas, Gary Toves Jr., and Shane Ogo all crossed home plate.

That would be the last Rota scored in the game though as Rogolofoi combined with Juan Maratita and Joshua Jones in shutting out the hosts the rest of the way.

In the second game against Tinian, Ofero Taitano recorded the first home run of the district tournament when he victimized Dalwin Cepeda with an inside-the-park homer.

Taitano’s round-tripper was part of Saipan’s six-run second after the powerhouse team tucked in seven in the first inning. Saipan added two more runs in the third to make it 14-0 and officials had no choice but to call the game via mercy run rule after the fifth.

Juan Iguel and Nokki Saralu pitched five shutout innings for Saipan with the former taking the win.

Saipan’s opponent in the Senior League finals is undecided as the game between Rota and Tinian was called off due to darkness with Rota leading on the top of the seventh, 14-5.

The CNMI Major League District Championship between Saipan and Rota will be played beginning at 11am today.

The Senior League finals, meanwhile, will be held on Saturday 10am.