GECKOS DOWN PANTHERS VIA 10-RUN RULE

By Michael J.A. Nauta Jr.

Looking to bounce back from a dismal loss a few days earlier, the George Washington Geckos played host to the visiting Guam High Panthers in a Saturday morning IIAAG High School Baseball League match held at the GW field.

Unlike their previous game, the Geckos came with their “A-game” and took control of the game from start to finish. When all was said and done, and the final out was recorded, it was the home team claiming a huge 12-2 victory over the Panthers. The game was called after five innings of play due to the league’s mercy rule.

Taking the field first, the Geckos defense together with starting pitcher Curtis Panaguiton wasted no time setting the tone of the game. Despite giving up a double to Guam High’s Lewis Harris, GW managed to end the side plating a total of five batters while Panaguiton recorded a strikeout.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Geckos immediately lit up the sticks and wasted no time posting runs on the board. Back-to-back singles by Calvin Valentine and Alan Gillan followed by a hit-by-pitch gave the Geckos a bases loaded situation with no outs. The game’s first run was scored when Jarred Sarrosa stroked a single to drive in Valentine making it a 1-0 game.

Geckos Hank Sablan finds contact with the ball early in the game. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

GW wasn’t ready to let go of the throttle as Jude Santos smacked a long shot into the outfield driving in three runs and upping the Geckos lead to 4-0. Before the Panthers could get out of the early jam, GW took a commanding 7-0 lead after Santos, Jude Chaco, and David Quintanilla found their way across home plate. Second inning action witnessed the Panthers end their scoreless drought after a wild pitch allowed Cain Madison to score.

GW’s Panaguiton eventually settled on the mound and upped his strikeout tally to four after fanning three batters that eventually ended the inning. For Guam High, starting pitcher Carlos Galarza picked up his first strikeout while holding GW scoreless in their half of the second.

The Geckos regained a seven-run lead in the third after a Hank Sablan RBI-single drove in teammate Anthony Diego. However, in the top of the fourth, Guam High successfully executed a double-steal to retire the lead back to (8-2) six runs. Later in the top of the fifth, the Geckos turned to Kenji McCarthy who would come in to relieve Panaguiton. Despite giving up a lead off hit, McCarthy closed the inning with a fly out and two strikeouts.

Heading into the bottom half of the inning, GW only needed three runs to enforce the league’s mercy rule and end the game early. Isaiah Nauta got things going with a base hit to centerfield. Two batters later, Sablan earned his second RBI of the game after driving home Nauta to make it a 10-2 game. Great heads up play by Gillan later in the inning allowed for the speedster to score and pull the Geckos within a run of sealing the victory. With two runners on, Donavin Barcinas needed one swing of the bat that proved worthy enough to bring home Sablan for the game-ending run.

GW’s Panaguiton led the Geckos from the mound recording six strikeouts, while teammate McCarthy fanned two batters in relief. Offensively, Santos went 1-for-2 with a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Teammate Sablan went 2-for-2 with two singles, two RBIs, and two runs scored. In the losing effort, Guam High’s Galarza recorded two strikeouts from the mound. Offensively, Harris went 1-for-3 with a double on the day.

PHOTO GALLERY:

Panthers Calvin Harmon gets struck out after swinging high. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Geckos starting pitcher Curtis Panaguiton gets one of his three strike outs in the first inning. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Panthers starting pitcher Carlos Garlaza fires off a pitch in the first inning. (photo by Robert Balajadia)