On Saturday, February 27, 2015 the Palau Community College (PCC) baseball team played and won the season opener against the defending champions, the Airai Aces, in extra innings by a score of 11-9.
As visitors, the PCC Mesekius started on the offence and quickly scored five runs in the top of the first inning. Then behind superb pitching by returning starter David Salapwa, PCC widened its lead in the third inning when left fielder Vincent Kulas added another run via a solo homer over the left field wall. In the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings the Airai Aces displayed their prowess as champions as they fought their way back to tie the game and take the lead at 9-6.
In the sixth inning, the PCC Mesekius scored two runs to cut the deficit to 9-8 and scored a run in the seventh inning to tie the game at 9-9. Looking to extend the game for a chance to win, PCC Coach Norman Sato made a gutsy decision to put the game in the hands of reliever Ray Rumong.
Reliever Rumong surprised everyone by retiring the side with two strikes-outs and sent the game into extra innings. With momentum behind them, the PCC Mesekius opened the extra inning with two runs courtesy of Marvic Ngchar’s 2-RBI single, putting PCC Mesekius ahead with a 11-9 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, the defending champions needed two runs to continue or three runs to win the game. However, the PCC Mesekius would not let them as Reliever Rumong continued his dominance by striking-out two and holding the Airai Aces score¬less for the final score of 11-9.
Congratulations to the PCC Mesekiu Baseball team on a great win for the season opener!
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