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By Gus Untalan

Geckos’ Hank Sablan slammed this RBI triple to put the first point on the board for the Geckos in the top of the third inning. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Led by Kaleb Cruz’s two RBI singles at bat, the George Washington Geckos edged out the Southern High Dolphins 3-1 in High School Baseball Thursday afternoon at the GW Baseball Field. Ironically, the Geckos played visitors to the Dolphins on their home turf.

“It’s okay, I just try to provide runs for my team,” said a humble Kaleb Cruz on his two RBI’s that aided his team’s victory. “Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t.”

With the game starting off as a defensive battle, the Geckos managed to strike first blood in the top of the third inning. Center fielder Hank Sablan cranked a pitch by Dolphins lead pitcher Mark Parks to deep right field that drove Jude Santos home on a RBI triple. Kaleb Cruz then sent Santos home on the next bat on a RBI single to center field to close out the inning giving GW a 2-0 lead.

McDonald’s player of the game: Geckos’ Kaleb Cruz

Geckos’ Deshon Naputi pitched the entire game and ended with six strikeouts. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

The Geckos managed to add insurance in the top of the fifth inning off Cruz’s second RBI single that drove Tovin Mesa home to total GW’s score count at three runs.

In the win, Geckos pitcher Deshon Naputi pitched a complete game finishing with an impressive six strikeouts.

Southern however did not give up scoring their lone run in the bottom of the seventh and final inning. With a runner on second, Vandrek Naputi hit a RBI single to left field that drove Ryan Bunag home.

Despite the loss, Dolphins lead pitcher Mark Parks finished with six strikeouts. Southern closing pitcher Nicolas Cruz added four strikeouts of his own.

With the win, GW improves to 5-2 while Southern drops to 3-2-1. Both teams however still have postponed games to makeup due to weather cancellations.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Dolphins’ starting pitcher Mark Parks pitched four complete innings and had six strikeouts. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Dolphins’ Isaiah Cruz hits the ball high to get to first base. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Geckos’ Kaleb Cruz slammed a RBI single in the third inning to put his team up 2-0. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Dolphins first baseman Darren Meno forces the tag out on a sprinting Geckos’ Jude Santos. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Geckos’ Tovin Mesa takes a big leap to home plate to beat the ball headed for Dolphins’ Trebor Aguerro. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Dolphins’ Mabrent Tulop gets a good hit on the ball to advance to first base. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

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