
By Robert Balajadia
Losing the 2015 girls softball title still resonates with Academy Cougars and Saturday’s first game of the IIAAG season was their first step at getting back to championship form.
The Cougars rallied at bat and took advantage of an error filled day from the Titans while also relying on freshman pitcher Ashley Mendiola for the 16-5 win over the Tiyan through six innings. A scoring error from the official score keeper after five innings forced a 6th inning to prevent the 10-run mercy rule, but the stat of a missed run in the 5th inning was corrected at games end.
Academy still has a handful of returnees from their 2015 team which made the weight of a win for the first year Cougar Mendiola a much heavier burden. Her first start for a championship hungry team wasn’t easy, but the girls picked Mendiola up when she needed it most.
Mendiola gave up two runs in the 1st inning and walked a Titan in the 3rd with the bases loaded with her team clinging to a 5-3 lead. The girls called for time to settle down their visibly frustrated pitcher and Mendiola responded by getting a strikeout to end the inning.
“When I broke down my team came to me and told me to have confidence and to just be myself. I’m very thankful for them. Their willingness to pick me up allowed me to move on to the next inning and finish strong,” said Mendiola.
Mendiola saved her pent up personal aggression for the at bats where she went 4-5, including 2RBI’s for the game.
“That was definitely the reason,” said Mendiola of her hits atoning for her runs allowed at the mound. “I wanted to prove to myself, my team and all the family and friends that I’m more than what I presented myself to be in the beginning of the game.”
Mendiola picked up the win for the Cougars and Titans Lizel Dela Cruz takes the loss. Both pitchers went all six innings.
The Cougar offense was steady throughout by scoring four runs in the 3rd inning and five runs in the 4th and 5th. Another big hitter for Academy was Doriaun Calvo, who went 3-5 and added an RBI while scoring two runs herself. Four runs in 4th inning were scored off Titan errors and three more were scored in the 5th inning off errors as well.

Academy Cougars Ashley Mendiola and Doriaun Calvo earned Wendy’s Players of the Game honors after controlling the offense in their 16-5 win. (photo by Robert Balajadia)
Calvo, now a sophomore, saw a lot she liked from her offense Saturday as they began their run towards the 2016 title.
“We’re very hungry for the title and we did really well today. Today was a good first step and we kept a positive attitude and we did our best. We’re slowly getting out full team back from other sports and our goal is to be the best team out there,” said Calvo.
As far as facing Tiyan, Calvo credited the Titans for their much improvement from 2015.
“[Tiyan] put up a great fight. You can see how they improved in all areas of the game,” Calvo added.
Academy continues the season on Wednesday against the GW Geckos at the Tai Field near FD and the Titans will play the defending champion JFK Islanders at JFK also on Wednesday.
PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

GPS Sports Calendar
August 2025
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 1
- 2
Events for July
31st
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Events for August
2nd
Events for August
3rd
Events for August
4th
Events for August
5th
Events for August
6th
Events for August
7th
Events for August
9th
SUMMER 2025 PATGON JIU JITSU TOURNAMENT
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
Events for August
9th
Events for August
10th
Events for August
11th
Events for August
12th
Events for August
13th
Events for August
14th
Events for August
15th
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
Events for August
16th
Events for August
17th
Events for August
18th
Events for August
19th
Events for August
20th
Events for August
21st
Events for August
22nd
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
Events for August
23rd
Events for August
24th
Events for August
25th
Events for August
26th
Events for August
27th
Events for August
28th
Events for August
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for August
30th

Basketball
CNMI LT. GOVERNOR WAS A GUAM BASKETBALL STAR

Basketball
TAIWAN STAR COMING TO GUAM FOR HOOPS CAMP

Jiu-Jitsu
SAGE CRUZ CLIMBS TO #1 IN THE NATION

Basketball
CNMI LT. GOVERNOR WAS A GUAM BASKETBALL STAR

Basketball
TAIWAN STAR COMING TO GUAM FOR HOOPS CAMP

Jiu-Jitsu
SAGE CRUZ CLIMBS TO #1 IN THE NATION
COMING SOON …
1st Quarter High School Sports in September: football, girls volleyball, cross country, bowling, girls 3×3 basketball
QUICK HITS