Brotherhood, Sakudi top Belau softball

Brotherhood and Sakudi ruled the 2008 Belau Amateur Softball Association Softball League after edging separates foes Sunday at the Dandan Elementary School Ballfield.

Brotherhood, which won the season’s pennant, collided with Man Amigos in a best-of-three title series.

The pennant champion drew first blood, escaping with a 10-9 win in an extended Game 1, which was played in nine innings.

First baseman Bernard Kileleman scored the winning run at the bottom of the ninth on a Tito Limes single.

But Brotherhood failed to secure the title early when Man Amigos recovered in Game 2 with a 6-5 victory.

Game 2 was also extended with James Fleming making the winning run at the top of the ninth on a Ben Mesa single

After engaging in two closely fought battles, Brotherhood was finally able to pull away in the deciding Game 3, notching an 11-4 triumph.

Shortstop Jerry Ayuyu connected on two homers in Game 3 to help Brotherhood secure the championship.

Ayuyu had a standup homer at the bottom of the sixth where Brotherhood scored three runs.

Outfielder Julian Camacho, who had a triple in the first inning, made a two-run single in the second, as Brotherhood added five more runs and led at 8-0, after two complete innings.

Man Amigos finally scored at the top of the fourth with Joey Dela Cruz reaching home plate on a Jeff Cabrera sacrifice fly.

Extra hitter Shine Tenorio then blasted a three-run homer in the fourth inning, but still it was not enough to bring Man Amigos back into the game, as Ayuyu answered with his own three-run homer at the bottom of the fourth.

In the women’s finals, Sakudi and the Hitters also battled neck-and-neck before the former claimed the championships.

Sakudi won the series opener, two weeks ago, 13-4, but failed to wrap up the title showdown when the Hitters pulled off a 5-4 win in Game 2 Sunday.

The Hitters shut out Sakudi in the last three innings to force a deciding Game 3.

Kayla Techur scored two runs in Game 3 on a Jenny Palacios singles in the first and third inning, while Emma Tudela and Bert Camacho made one run apiece to lift Sakudi to a 4-2 victory.

Felisa Brel scored one run for the Hitters on a Linda Cabrera single in the second inning, while Angela Ngirbedul made the other run in the sixth inning on an Alana Sumang sacrifice fly.

The Hitters made one final try to steal the title from Sakudi at the top of the last inning. But the Hitters’ first two batters flied out and third batter Cabrera was beaten to first base with Sakudi pitcher Bego Camacho picking up a grounder and throwing the ball to Pauline Tudela on first base.

In the battle for third place, Ohn Sakau defeated Atu-Asi, 10-2.