
By Patrick Lujan
The Yigo Typhoons aren’t supposed to be here, yet after eliminating the Who’s Who Dodgers in five games of the 2022 GML Semifinal Series on Saturday night, they now take on the top-seeded Junior Nationals in the best-of-7 Championship Series tonight in Game 1 at the Paseo Stadium. (UPDATE: Game 1 was rained out)
For the first-year Typhoons, their success is quite a surprise to the average baseball fan, except not surprising to the players themselves.
“Not really (surprised),” said manager Jeff Concepcion about making it to the Championship Series. “This team is very, very hungry. They wanted to prove to the league that they belong. In my boys’ minds, they are supposed to be here.”
Successful teams usually dub themselves as ‘family’. The Typhoons take it to the literal sense as the dozen-plus roster are all first-second-third cousins for the exception of R-Jay Joe and D.C. Nena – both who’ve grown up with the Yigo boys.
“That’s what makes us a little more different, because we’re all related. We’re family.”
– Typhoons manager Jeff Concepcion
CONCEPCION HOUSEHOLD
The intrigue doesn’t stop there. Jeff’s son Jake Concepcion is an intrical part of Yigo’s championship run. At the other dugout, however, Jeff has two younger sons playing for the Jr.’s – Javier and Jace. He says the competitiveness is running high in the Concepcion house.
“In the house right now, we’re going at it to beat each other’s @s$,” the dad said.
To add to that intrigue, Concepcion’s previous bench coach when they were the Astros is John Salas, who is now the Junior’s bench coach and youth coach for all the Concepcion boys.
“John Salas was my go-to guy. He’s still my go-to guy. He and JT (Juniors manager Joe Tuquero) really helped me get through the semifinal series.”
PITCHING IS KEY
Concepcion feels that the tandem of Joe and Julian Flores propelled Yigo over the Dodgers in the five-game series.
“Those are our horses. We aren’t going anywhere without them.”
With a long seven-game series, Concepcion looks to start tonight’s Game 1 with another arm after a tough semifinal series for the duo.
“Of course, I want to use them right off the bat, but I’m not going to ruin their arms. They need to get their rest.”
Regular season game: The Jr. Nats and Typhoons squared off in their only match of the regular season in their season opener with the Juniors winning 4-2.
NEW CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Friday, September 16
Game 2: Sunday, September 18
Game 3: Tuesday, September 20
Game 4: Friday, September 23
(If necessary) Game 5: Sunday, September 25
(If necessary) Game 6: Tuesday, September 27
(If necessary) Game 7: Friday, September 30


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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