NMC scores second win over DCCA

Northern Marianas College asserted its mastery over defending champion Department of Community and Cultural Affairs following NMC’s 15-10 victory in the women’s division match in the Budweiser 2008 Inter Government/Business Softball League Friday night at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield.

The win was NMC’s fifth in as many games, while the loss was DCCA’s second after five matches. The defending champions’ losses were all against NMC.

NMC made it 2-0 against DCCA after shutting out the defending champion in the last three innings.

The game was tied at 10-all after four complete innings, but NMC broke the deadlock at the top of the fifth inning with third baseman Angie Ngirbedul making a two-run single. Extra hitter Cherlyn Obichang also singled and drove Ngirbedul home to give NMC a 13-10 lead.

DCCA reached only third base at the bottom of the fifth and without a run, the defending champion still trailed with two innings left.

Neither team scored in the sixth inning, as DCCA and NMC were both done after only three batters.

NMC added two more runs at the top of the seventh with Obichang’s single bringing Vanessa Mobel home. Second baseman Pauline Camacho scored the other run on a DCCA error.

The league leader preserved the win when it shut out DCCA anew in the last inning with no runner from the defending champion passing second base.

MEN’S

DCCA 10, DEQ/CRM 0

In the men’s division, DCCA blanked DEQ/CRM. 10-0 to claim the solo lead in the 20-team field.

DCCA improved to a 6-0 record, one win ahead of Freedom Air (5-0) and the Joeten Motors Jets (5-1).

Rightfielder Jun Saralu went 3-for-3 at-bat for DCCA, making two triples and two RBIs. Outfielder Luis Iguel and centerfielder Julian Camacho both hit 2-for-3 with the latter connecting on a three-run homer at the top of the third.

Joey Dela Cruz also had a round-tripper drilling a three-run homer at the top of the first.

DEQ/CRM absorbed its fourth loss in six games.

CPA 15, Legislature 13

In the last game of the night, the Commonwealth Ports Authority kept its unbeaten record after outlasting Legislature, 15-13.

CPA is undefeated in four games, while Legislature dropped to a 4-2 slate.

It was a come-from-behind win for CPA, which scored 10 runs in the last two innings to steal the game.

After four and a half innings Legislature led, 9-5.

An eight-run bottom of the fifth put CPA in the driver’s seat, 13-9, as Legislature scored only one run at the top.

Jack Diaz had a three-run homer in the fifth for CPA, while Jack Deleon Guerrero made a solo roundtripper.

Dennis Ngeskebi’s two-run single and one run each from Ed Sablan and Ngeskebi at the top kept Legislature in the game, 13-15. But not for long, as CPA shut out Legislature at the top of the seventh to preserve the win.