
By Robert Balajadia
The GW Geckos are champions of baseball for the third time in four years after completing a perfect playoff sweep, beating the Sanchez Sharks 6-4 while holding off a furious rally at the Okkodo Field Saturday evening.
GW was sitting in the drivers seat in the double-elimination playoffs meaning a loss would still guarantee them one more game. The Geckos had no intentions of playing the ‘IF’ game by turning in a strong defensive performance while holding down the upstart Sharks.
Pitcher Jaren Gumataotao went all seven innings and went into the bottom of the 7th inning up 6-1 after just extending his teams lead after an RBI single. After two dropped balls on fly outs, the Sharks would load the bases for a two out rally that hung rain clouds over the Geckos celebration party.
Sanchez got an RBI single from Jadein “Cheeseburger” Evangelista to carve into the lead 6-2 with the Sanchez dugout pouring on the cheers. An altercation on a stolen base from Shark Ethan Palnia and Gecko third baseman Kyle Quichocho fired up both sides even more and Sanchez responded with another RBI single from Jacob Toves to really put the pressure on Gumataotao.
A timeout would be called to settle the team down as Jaren was still facing loaded bases.
“They just told me to pitch to my strengths and hit the strike zones. I really wasn’t thinking much of anything, I tried to block everything out to try and finish the game,” said Gumataotao.
Another base hit from Jeremiah Sablan scored another run for the Sharks while facing elimination for a 6-4 deficit. Shark Tyler Santos couldn’t keep the wild streak going as his hit stayed in the infield as Gumataotao was able to scoop up the grounder for an easy toss to first baseman Ethaniel Cali for the final out.
Errors would hurt the Sharks giving up three unearned runs early on for a 4-1 deficit.
GW back on top of baseball
After taking over as head coach last season, Dan Leon Guerrero reiterated what he promised his boys in 2018.
“I told you that we’re taking back the title this year,” shouted Leon Guerrero to his team in the post game huddle.
The Geckos peaked at the perfect time despite having a rough start to the season.
“We had some players who hadn’t come out yet at the beginning of the season and it took a while for the team to work together. They are all a bunch of new players and they haven’t played together so it did take time. That’s what we focused on all season, working fundamentals and to get them to gel and towards the end they all just started to click,” said Leon Guerrero.
They were the hottest team entering the playoffs and not even the undefeated FD Friars could extinguish their flames as the Geckos handed the Friars their first loss all year.
“We let these guys know that fundamentals is going to win games. They all executed defensively and it was more of the execution while trying to keep the errors to a minimum. We had a whole week off and the communication was there in practice all week and we knew what we needed to get done to win it today,” added Leon Guerrero.
Gumataotao takes the win for GW and pitcher Rico Miner takes the loss for the Sharks. League MVP Sigfrido Sanchez relieved Miner in the 6th inning.
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GPS Sports Calendar
May 2022
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for May
2nd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET #4
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
3rd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
5th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
6th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
7th
GPD HOT PURSUIT 5K
MARIANAS OPEN
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for May
9th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET #5
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER All-Star Meeting
IIAAG GIRLS BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL FINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
10th
Events for May
12th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL ALL-ISLAND MEETING
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
12th
Events for May
14th
14th JUDICA CRABAO 5K
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA GIRLS SOCCER FINALS
Events for May
16th
ISA TRACK & FIELD ALL-ISLAND MEET
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE All-Star Meeting
Events for May
17th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
18th
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Events for May
19th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
20th
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL All-Star Meeting
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
21st
Pre-Memorial Day 13-Miler
GETTING GUAM HEALTHY 5K BUBBLE RUN/HEALTH FAIR
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD All-ISLAND MEET
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE FINALS
ALPHA WARRIOR ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE FINALS
2022 Guam Track & Field National Championships
Events for May
23rd
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
24th
Events for May
26th
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL FINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
27th
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Events for May
29th
Events for May
30th

Volleyball
VOLLEYBALL ALL-STAR PLAYERS DRAFTED

Volleyball
TITANS COMPLETE PERFECT 2022 SEASON

Volleyball
ROSARIO: BOYS VOLLEYBALL MVP

Baseball
DODGERS HAND TRITONS FIRST LOSS

Running/Track
FBLG, BMS CONQUER MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD ALL-ISLAND
Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
COMING SOON …
- YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE KICKOFF June 4
- Todd Gurley Football Camp on Andersen
- GSPN Boys Volleyball All-Star Game
- Pacific Mini-Games in Saipan