Sufa clinches men’s pennant

Sufa’s Mike Cruz flies safely into home plate against Peleliu in their 2022 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association League game last Sunday at the Dandan Softball Field. (LEIGH GASES)

Team Sufa clinched the men’s division pennant of the 2022 Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association League after topping Peleliu, 18-6, in a run-ruled mercy game last Sunday at the Dandan Softball Field.

Sufa dominated all the other nine men’s division teams with a 14-4 win-loss record.

Off the bat, big-hitter Paul Salalila of Sufa hit a home run, while teammate Mel Sablan followed suit for a 5-0 early lead in the first inning. Peleliu’s Cartfield Sablan scored the lone run in the first inning, followed by silence for their team in the next two innings.

Meanwhile, Sufa asserted their dominance in the field by scoring seven runs in the second, five runs in the third, and their last run in the fourth inning. Sablan ended up hitting two out of the park for a total of four RBIs in the game, with Audie Maratita hitting a home run as well  

Two more regular season games will be held this Sunday, with the playoffs scheduled to start next Sunday.

Tokahao 17,
Man Amigos 9
For second place in the standings, Tokahao beat Man Amigos, 17-9, for a record of 13-5.

The two teams were neck and neck in the standings, but Tokahao got the better of the nine Amigos to overtake the lead.

Man Amigos was leading in the first four innings, 6-5, but things went on a downward trend as Tokahao found their stride with the bat.

Tokahao blew the game wide open in the fifth inning as back-to-back runs were scored, for a six-run inning. Man Amigos pitcher George David could not stop the bleeding as two consecutive home runs in the last inning were struck by Tokahao’s Manny Villagomez and Jeff Cruz, with a solo home run made in the third inning by Robert Bansil.

In the end, Tokahao’s last two-inning rally garnered them the win, with Man Amigos falling to third place, 12-5 in the standings.

Ngaraard Redmen 12, Momma Charo 2
Ngaraard Redmen shut down Momma Charo, 12-2, in another run-ruled mercy game.

Crickets were heard over the field as Momma Charo batters swung and missed in four scoreless innings. Only Joe Kapileo’s two-run home run in the second inning reverberated for their team.

In contrast, the Redmen were out for blood as they pummeled Charo’s boys in the second inning with nine runs after putting up two in the first inning, then settling for one more run from Jaison Reyes’ home run in the last inning.

Asahi 17, Aimeliik 6
Asahi routed Aimeliik, 17-6.

In the first inning, it seemed like an evenly matched game as Aimeliik managed to score four runs after Asahi’s six. 

However, Aimeliik couldn’t keep pace with the slightly higher ranking Asahi as they rallied for a six run last inning to take the W.

Hagu La’mun 13,
Salty Boys 3
Hagu La’mun left the Salty Boys bitter as they defeated them, 13-3.

The Salty Boys have not won any games this season.