District meet set for next month

Saipan Little League Baseball will host the 2009 District Tournament next month and will have competitions only in the Major and Junior divisions.

The meet will run from June 5 to 7 at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield and at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield with teams from Rota and Tinian joining Saipan Major and Junior All-Stars. Selections for the two Saipan teams will be made after the SLLB season.

Tony Rogolifoi is the tournament director for the Major’s district meet, while Ben Taitano will handle the event for Juniors.

The winner in the district meet will represent CNMI in the 2009 Asia Pacific Regional Tournament for Majors in Chinese-Taipei from July 5 to 12. The regional meet for the Juniors will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia from June 23 to 28.

CNMI District Administrator James Ada said since Tinian and Rota do not have teams in Big and Senior Leagues, Saipan will automatically send its All-Star Teams in the regionals. Indonesia will also host the regional meet for Senior and Big League divisions.

Winners of the regional tournaments will advance to the World Series.

The CNMI Big League All-Stars made it to last year’s World Series in Easley, South Carolina.

Meanwhile, SLLB held two make-up games Sunday with the Twins and Hustlers whipping separates foes.

The Twins downed IT&E, 14-4, to improve to a 3-9 record, while the Hustlers took the temporary lead with their 11-2 slate after shutting out the JPO Enforcers, 10-0.

After giving up three runs at the bottom of the first, the Twins defense and starting pitcher Mel Sakisat allowed IT&E to only one hit in the last five innings.

Sakisat pitched in five innings, struck out 10, walked two, and had one hit by pitch. Roke Tenorio did a great relief job at the top of the sixth, striking out IT&E’s first three batters.

IT&E’s only run in the last five innings came in the third inning off a Twins error.

The Twins had fewer problems on offense with Tenorio and Sakisat both going 4-for-5 at the plate and combining for seven runs.

In the other make-up game, Cody Kaipat pitched for the Hustlers in no relief and flirted with a no-hitter to lift his team to their 11th win.

Kaipat struck out seven, allowed only one hit, and walked two in four innings.

No Enforcers runner went past first base, dropping the team to a 2-10 record.

Cody, brother Koby, and Frank Lizama all hit 2-for-2 at the plate for the Hustlers and all three made two runs each. Frank also had two RBIs. J.J. Lizama, Ray Saralu, Dean Santos, and A.J. Deleon Guerrero had one run apiece for the Hustlers.