PRESS RELEASE – The Leo Palace Baseball League AAA Championship Series kicked off Friday night at Leo Palace Stadium with the #2 AM-PCR Angels taking on the #5 Philip & Son’s Phillies. Defense wins championships, and that was the difference in game one of the series as the Angels took advantage of Phillies errors to take game one by a score of 5-4.
The Phillies would get on the board early scoring three quick runs in the first inning with the first three batters all singling to load the bases off Angels starter Freddy Cepeda. Paul Pangelinan rbi groundout would drive in the first run and Mike Aguon would follow with a 2 rbi single to give the Phillies an early 3-0 lead.
The Angels would answer in the bottom half of the 1st off Phillies starter Shane McDonald with lead off hitter Ryan Martinez reaching on an error and coming in to score on a Derwin Aguon single. Nathan Cruz would cap the rally with a two out two rbi single to even the score 3-3.
The Angels offense kept the pressure on in the bottom of the 3rd inning with McDonald htting Alejandro Diaz to start off the inning. Brandon Fernandez and Nathan Cruz would follow with singles to load the bases. Coby Barnes would punch a base hit to right field scoring Fernandez. Another Phillies error, their 3rd of the game would allow Cruz to score giving the Angels a 5-3 lead after three innings.
The Phillies wouldn’t go away quietly however answering right back in the top of the 4th inning with Chad Palomo walking to lead off the inning and back to back singles by JD San Nicolas and Joe Duenas loading the bases. However the Phillies would only manage one run on a rbi sac fly by TC Cruz to cut the Angels lead to 5-4 after 4 innings.
Angels starter Freddy Cepeda would shut down the Phillies over the last two innings and go the distance allowing seven hits and 4 runs to pick up the win. Derwin Aguon and Nathan Cruz had two hits each for the Angels.
Angels edge one game closer to the AAA championship in the best of 3 series. Game #2 of the series scheduled for Sunday 6 pm at Leo Palace Stadium.
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Matsuno’s second place finish earned him an invitation to compete in the FCG Junior Golf Championship to be held in July 2025.
A junior at St. John’s, he is also currently leading the IIAAG high school All-Island golf competition, chasing the coveted individual high school golf title.
