CRUZ THROWS 15Ks IN UPSET WIN

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By Regina Shiroma

Geckos’ Nate Cruz slugged this two run homer in the bottom of the first inning to put his team up 3-1. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Head Coach of the GW Geckos, Mike Jesus, tells his boys to“…Play every team, don’t take them [the Sharks] lightly.”

Six and a half innings and 15 strikeouts later, the GW Geckos definitely did not take their opponent lightly as they pulled off an upsetting 7-3 win against the defending champs, the Simon Sanchez Sharks, at the Geckos home field Saturday morning.

Winning pitcher, Geckos’ Kaleb Cruz, pitched all seven innings leading his team in the victory with his 15 strikeouts and giving up just six hits.

“I just went out there to pitch, just pitch out and try to get strikeouts,” said Cruz.

McDonald’s player of the game: Geckos’ Pitcher Kaleb Cruz. 15 K, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 ER.

The Geckos went to work right from the start as leadoff batter Hank Sablan hit a homerun to tie the game at one-all in the bottom of the first. Nathan Cruz followed with a two-run homer of his own allowing the Geckos to take the lead, and from that point forward they never looked back.

Both teams struggled to find their rhythm throughout the second to fourth innings as both teams were unable to get more than two hits in.

Sablan and Cruz broke the silence after they advanced home on errors from Sanchez’s infielders, furthering their lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth.

The Sharks saw some light in the top of the sixth when Darren Meno hit a two RBI double to close in on the Geckos, making the score 5-3. However, Cruz diminished their chances to score by striking out the next two batters to send the Sharks back to defense.

Sharks’ Darren Meno stopped his team’s cold streak with this 2 RBI double in the sixth inning. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

In the bottom of the sixth, the Geckos answered back with two runs of their own with Christian Borja scoring on an error on Sanchez’s second baseman. Nathan Cruz hit another RBI single into center field that brought in Brandon Muna, scoring the final run of the ball game.

In the top of the seventh, the Sharks were unable to score any runs as Kaleb Cruz sent the Sharks home three up, three down.

The Sharks led 1-0 at the top of the first off an RBI double from Daniel Cruz that brought in John Aguon, but from then on it was all Geckos ball game.

“We’re just going to keep on playing how we’re playing and everything should go good,” said Kaleb Cruz on the win.

“Our hitting’s coming through, we have our pitching. They’re coming together, we’re just telling them to have fun out there,” said coach Jesus after the game.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Geckos’ Hank Sablan slammed this controversial solo home run to score the first point for his team. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Sharks’ John Aguon pitches the ball in the third inning. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Geckos’ Christian Palacios gets a good hit on the ball to advance to first. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Sharks’ Daniel Cruz slammed this RBI double in the top of the first inning to score the first point for his team. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Geckos’ Nate Cruz gets the tag on Sharks’ Julian Flores who tried to advance to third off a catching error. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Geckos’ Christian Borja slides safely back to first base before Sharks’ Kalen Dennis could retrieve the incoming ball. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Geckos’ Calvin Valentina makes the catch to stop the play. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Sharks’ Shawn Dumanal and Julian Flores miscommunicated on the catch which allowed Geckos’ Joe Mendiola to make it safely to second base. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

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