By Robert Balajadia

Saturday’s scorching sun conditioned a grind out baseball game between the home team FD Friars and Guam High Panthers. Friars pitcher Enrique Untalan never left the mound, pitching FD to a near shutout in a 4-1 win.

Untalan only allowed three hits all game with two coming in the final inning, which included an RBI from Panthers Joshua Duenas to avoid the shutout.

“Our coaches usually tell us that we start picking up on how the pitcher works later in the games and that’s just what happened to me out there. They started connecting on the ball,” said Untalan on the games final inning.

With runners in scoring position, Untalan managed to shake off the late game nerves to strike out Panther Blaise Taitano for his seventh strikeout of the day.

“My coaches believed in me to leave me out there and I was just motivated off of that. I knew that If I could get it done early in the game that I could also close the game out,” added Untalan.

The Friars (8-3-1) have pulled just behind a game of the GW Geckos with Saturdays win. With enough players to fill three complete teams, the Friars emptied their dugout against the young and still winless Panthers (0-9) to get their younger players game-time experience.

“We are 38 players deep! No disrespect to Guam High, but we wanted to get our less experienced players out on the field today and have them get some playing time,” said Cepeda on the slow offensive start.

Cepeda gave FD a 3-0 lead with his 3rd inning triple even though Cepeda was never able to reach home himself. FD loaded the bases in each of the first three innings and only came away with one run in each of those attempts.

FD’s Jake Carbullido brought in the teams final run in the 5th inning to take a 4-0 lead that lasted through six complete innings. Friars Auron Eclavea was the first to bring in a run in the 1st inning, but FD failed to capitalize with the bases loaded.

Untalan gets the win for the Friars while Panthers’ Taitano gets the loss and was relived in the 6th inning by pitcher Carlos Galarza.

With the leagues number one spot within reach, the FD Friars will be gunning for control as it will offer a more favorable matchup come playoff time.

“It’s important because the 2nd seed would have to play the 7th seed and that could be a team like Southern or Okkodo and they are real tough teams,” ended Cepeda.

Wendy’s Players of the Game Frairs pitcher Enrique Untalan and shortstop Bryton Cepeda.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

A jolly Bryton Cepeda is all smiles as he rounds the bases for his triple. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

SAFE! The Friars get the stolen base in the 5th inning.

Panther Raven Solang swings heavy at a Friars Enrique Untalan fastball. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Panthers pitcher Blaise Taitano fires off a strike in the 2nd inning. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Where in the world isn’t Josh ‘Slush’ Ramirez? Guam’s most famous batboy lending his expertise to the FD Friars. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Friars pitcher Enrique Untalan keeps the heat coming against the Panthers. (photo by Robert Balajadia)