Connect with us

Baseball

CRUSADERS ANSWER BACK

[sixcol_five_last]

By Robert Balajadia

Tensions rose down the stretch but the Crusaders managed to keep their composure, gutting out a must win. (photo by Asha Robles)

Tensions rose down the stretch but the Crusaders managed to keep their composure, gutting out a must win. (photo by Asha Robles)

The Barrigada Crusaders were facing a 8-3 hole in the bottom of the fifth inning before going on an 8-1 run to win Game 2, 11-9, in the 2013 Jim Beam Amateur Baseball Championship Series at the Leo Palace Baseball Stadium.

It was a must win for the Crusaders as the Rangers won game one on Tuesday and would have captured the 2013 title had they won in the best of three series.

The loss snaps a 14-0 winning streak by the Rangers this season giving them their first loss in regular season or playoffs.

“The boys just battled back.  The first couple of innings were tough and we just held through.  The boys kept their composure, we’re going to fight till the end.  Hats off to the [Rangers], not taking anything away from that team,” stated Crusaders head coach Pat Leon Guerrero.

Barrigada were trailing 8-3 in the bottom of the fifth when RJ Santos hit an RBI double off Rangers pitcher Kagan Rabago bring them within four.  Rangers coach Jassen Guerrero visited the mound to talk to Rabago but then made a second trip afterwards which unintentionally forced Rabago out of the game replacing him with Frank Santos.

Crusaders player of the game Sage Afaisen capitalized by hitting an RBI single to pull his team within three, 8-5.  The Crusader fan base felt the momentum beginning to shift as each play was celebrated with deafening cheers.  A play later, Clayton Cruz knocked the ball deep left for a 2RBI single that cut the lead to 8-7 as the Crusader dugout erupted.  The Rangers tried to stop the bleeding by replacing Santos with Andrew Taijeron at the mound but the Crusader raid was far from over.

The Crusaders made a pitching change in the fifth inning replacing Deshon Naputi with Eddie Garza who allowed just two runs in his term.  Garza carried the momentum of the fifth inning straight to the sixth where he allowed no runs.

Crusaders pitcher Deshon Naputi struggled in the first few innings but did have three strikeouts.  (photo by Asha Robles)

Crusaders pitcher Deshon Naputi struggled in the first few innings but did have three strikeouts. (photo by Asha Robles)

Errors hurt the Rangers all game but a couple of errors at first base and good batting in the sixth inning allowed the Crusaders to take the lead.  Howard Wolford took advantage of an error at first base to score the tying run at 8 runs each.

Afaisen had a big fifth inning but topped his performance with and RBI single in the sixth to give them the definitive lead at 9-8.  With the crowd still pouring in support, Kaleb Cruz smashed a 2RBI double on the very next play for the Crusaders who jumped out to an 11-8 lead.

Rangers John Tenorio was able to bring in one more run in the seventh inning but a pop fly by Nate Duenas was the final out the Crusaders needed to live for one more game.

The Rangers got off to a hot start scoring four runs in the first inning but cooled off mightily and let costly errors define the game.

Coach Leon Guerrero expects big things from both teams and fans come Saturday.  “This is now anybody’s game in game three.  It’s going to be a good game.  The fans have been awesome, I haven’t seen Leo Palace packed like this.  Whoever wins this Saturday deserves it, both teams have worked really hard.”

The 2013 Jim Beam Amateur Baseball Championship Series will conclude Saturday night at 6 p.m. at the Leo Palace Baseball Stadium.

[fbshare url=”http://www.gspnlive.com/baseball/crusaders-answer-back/” type=”button”] [fblike url=”http://www.gspnlive.com/baseball/crusaders-answer-back/” style=”standard” showfaces=”false” width=”450″ verb=”like” font=”arial”]

[/sixcol_five_last]

Ad

GPS Sports Calendar

June

July 2025

August
SU
MO
TU
WE
TH
FR
SA
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
Events for June

1st

Events for July

2nd

Events for July

3rd

Events for July

4th

Events for July

5th

6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Events for July

6th

Events for July

7th

Events for July

8th

Events for July

9th

Events for July

10th

Events for July

11th

Events for July

11th

No Events
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Events for July

12th

No Events
Events for July

13th

No Events
Events for July

14th

No Events
Events for July

15th

No Events
Events for July

16th

No Events
Events for July

17th

No Events
Events for July

18th

No Events
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Events for July

19th

No Events
Events for July

20th

No Events
Events for July

21st

No Events
Events for July

22nd

No Events
Events for July

23rd

No Events
Events for July

24th

No Events
Events for July

25th

No Events
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
Events for July

26th

No Events
Events for July

27th

No Events
Events for July

28th

No Events
Events for July

29th

No Events
Events for July

30th

No Events

COMING SOON …

FD Alumni Basketball Tournament Playoffs

 

QUICK HITS

Guam’s Jeremiah Camacho shot a perfect game at the 48th Hong Kong Open. The 22-year-old Guam National Team Member shot his 18th career perfect game on lanes 1 and 2 at Top Bowl Lanes in Hong Kong.
————————————————–
Guam’s athletes performed well in the Spartan Race in Capas Tarlac, Philippines, picking up two division wins and two 2nd place finishes.
Belen Sidell 43 yrs (1st)
Phil Law 58 yrs (1st)
Tess Esma 48 yrs (2nd)
James Sardea 55 yrs (2nd)
Charles Esma 18 yrs (12th)

More in Baseball