GUAM TAKES ASIA-PACIFIC SENIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Guam completed an unbeaten tournament in Auckland, New Zealand capturing the championship of the Asia-Pacific Little League senior division (U16) tournament with a 7-6 classic in the championship game against South Korea Tuesday afternoon in Auckland, New Zealand.

Saez Alvarez drove in Ethan Santiago with a single up the middle in the bottom of the 7th inning for the game winner with the score tied at 6-6. (championship box score)

They now advance to the Little League World Series to represent the region in Easley, South Carolina from July 27 to August 3.

Alvarez and Ty Leon Guerrero had two hits apiece and Ray Ray Parks picked up the win in two scoreless innings of relief for Guam. Starter Javier Taimanglo went five innings on the mound, giving up three runs on five hits and striking out four.

Guam got off to a rough start, getting off to a 3-0 deficit in the top of the 1st inning as three critical errors doomed our boys.

We answered right back with two runs in the first and another in the second to tie the game at 3-3.

South Korea regained the lead 4-3 before Evan Acosta came up with a huge hit in the bottom of the 4th. With the bases loaded, Acosta launched a shot to left field that initially was thought to be a grand slam as Team Guam came out to celebrate at home plate. However, the umpires huddled and deemed the hit a ground-rule double. The two RBI put Guam back ahead 5-4.

The Korea bats managed to plate two runs in the top of the 5th to give the opponents the 6-5 edge in yet another lead exchange.

Trace Taijeron’s infield single in the 6th drove in Ty Leon Guerrero to tie things up at 6-6.

A quick 1-2-3 top of the 7th shut out the Koreans, giving way to the heroic walk-off in the bottom half.

Santiago started the bottom half with a short single and made his way to third on a passed ball. Leadoff hitter Kaiden Weakley walked and stole second, setting the stage for Alvarez’s championship-clinching single up the middle that drove in the winning run.