BANGOR, Maine — Asia Pacific scored five two-out runs in the top of the fourth inning and then held off Europe-Africa for a 10-5 victory in the opening day of the Senior League World Series Sunday at Mansfield Stadium.
Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Asia Pacific champ, will next take on Maine District 3 champ Old Town at 1 p.m. Monday while Lazio, Italy, the Europe-Africa champ, will play at 8 p.m. Monday against the loser of Sunday’s game between U.S. Central and Canada.
Ethan Babauta started Saipan’s fourth-inning rally when he drew a walk. Back-to-back singles by Lorenzo Sebaklim and Joaquin Chong then plated pinch runner Craig Aguon.
Franklin Lizama followed with a bunt single to third that scored the second run. Roke Tenorio next delivered a two-run single to left.
Tenorio advanced to third on an error and stole home to score the inning’s final run.
Lizama pitched scoreless innings in the third and fourth to earn the win. He didn’t allow a hit, walked one and struck out two.
Tenorio finished with three singles and two RBIs for Saipan while Franklin Lizama added two singles and Henry Lizama chipped in with a hit and an RBI.
Leonardo Ceppari tripled and Federico Proletti doubled and both players added an RBI to lead Italy. Yuri Sarrocco, Piero Cianfrigila and Leonardo Bulfone each drove in a run.
In Sunday’s first game, U.S. Southwest champ Houston, Texas, edged U.S. West champ Nogales, Arizona, 5-4 in 12 innings while U.S. Central champ Holmes County, Ohio beat Canadian champ Regina, Saskatchewan 6-3 in an evening matchup.
The night’s last game between U.S. East champ Upper Moreland, Pennsylvania, and Latin America champ Willemstad, Curacao, didn’t begin until after 9 p.m. because of the long first game.
In the third game, Mitch Massaro turned in five strong innings on the mound to lead Ohio by Saskatchewan. He didn’t allow a run and scattered four hits and a walk while striking out five.
He helped his cause by hitting two doubles and scoring two runs as Ohio surged to the lead with single runs in each of the first four innings and two in the fifth. Bryan Yoder, Noah Summers and Cameron Miller each chipped in with a single with Yoder driving in two runs and Summers and Miller each plating one.
Adam De Corby singled twice and drove in two runs to lead Canada. Marcus Roflik added two hits while Brian So drove in a run.