
By Robert Balajadia
The GW Geckos had not lost a baseball game all season, until Saturday afternoon. The upstart JFK Islanders shocked the home team Geckos in a 5-3 upset, knocking GW into the elimination bracket of the double-elimination playoffs.
The Islanders trailed 3-1 through three innings, tied the game in the 5th, then took the lead in the 7th to stage their biggest victory of the season so far. Birthday boy Jobe Andrew came in as relief pitcher in the 5th inning, ran in the lead-changing run, and earned the final strikeout in the bottom of the 7th to lock in the win.
“I just tried to focus on my catcher and treat it like it was practice and throw strikes. It was a team effort and we focused on our defense,” said Andrew.
Hustle and bench participation helped fuel the win and JFK had to commend their overall team effort in their post game huddle.
“All season long the bench has supported us through all seven innings, through our losses and our wins. It’s hard to rotate the bench in when we are playing tough teams but they still give us their best,” said Vince Camacho on how important their overall team attitude has been.
Breakdown
The Geckos struck first blood in the 1st inning as Jaren Gumataotao knocked an RBI single to bring in teammate Javen Pangelinan for a 1-0 lead.
JFK would answer in the 3rd, scoring their first run off a wild pitch. Catcher Gavin Lim stormed in to tie the game, lighting up the Islander dugout with an ecstatic cheer. GW answered in the same inning as Guamtaotao would bring in another run, this time teammate Ash Tedtaotao for a 2-1 lead. An RBI triple from Gecko Andrei Camacho put the home team up 3-1.
A fielders choice in the 4th allowed JFK’s Camacho to make it home to get within 3-2 before a key run would be scored in the 5th. With two outs and runners on second third, GW tried to make a play to catch Islander John Cruz’s attempt to steal third. That allowed Lim to safely trot home before the trapped Cruz would be tagged to even the score at three runs.
A key play from Camacho was made in the 5th as he tracked down a foul ball to only then make a rocket throw to third base to catch a Gecko for a big double-play.
“All I heard was my teammate [John Cruz] shout go to third so I just listened,” laughed Camacho.
In the 7th, Andrew would bunt a ball in a dead zone for a lead single. Lim would then hit a low grounder that briefly got lost in the grass as the GW shortstop would attempt to turn and burn a throw to try and catch Lim out at first. The throw would fly over first, which prompted Andrew to race all the way home for a lead-changing run 4-3. GW’s coaches didn’t agree with that Andrew had beat the throw home as they pleaded with the home umpire.
A big hit RBI from Islander Malcolm Pangelinan added to the already wild inning as the JFK fans cheered their way to a 5-3 lead.
Defense would prevail for the Islanders in the 7th as Lim made a key throw to second to catch a sliding Pangelinan for the first out. Andrew would then get the final two strikeouts with both batters looking to secure the win.
“As a pitcher, I like it when the opponents taunt more and I use it as motivation to earn more strikes,” added Andrew.
“This was very important. We gave it everything we had today and we wanted it bad and we came up on top,” added Camacho.
Saturday playoff scores
JFK 5, GW 3
ND 5, Okkodo 4
Southern 12, Guam High 2
FD vs. Sanchez to be played Monday
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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