The Pacific Mini Games Opening Ceremony is scheduled for this Friday at 5:30 pm at the Oleai Sports Complex. Baseball has 5 countries hitting the diamond looking for Gold. It’s the program's young guns making the trip to represent the island this time around. 

Team Guam Coach Franklin Ninete, Sr. said, "They’re so young but the good thing about it is they’ve been playing ball since they were 11-12. The chemistry is really good because they’ve been playing together for the longest time. For us to be in the GML and competing with the older group, I have confidence that these boy’s that we’re taking to Saipan will put on a good game."

The teams youth brings speed on both sides of the ball. Base running will be important putting players in scoring position. The team has a high on base percentage. Hitters have to get ahead of the count and take advantage of the pitches their looking for. 

Guaifon Terlaje with Team Guam said, "We all come to work as a team. That’s where we mostly build our chemistry and that’s where we bond. Our strengths on defense is our pitching honesty. Most of us players on this team can pitch. Maybe 12 of us out of the 20, all of us can pitch."

Guam plays against the host country Saipan tonight at 7:00 pm to kick off the 2022 games. Fiji, Palau and the Solomon Islands are also represented at this years games. 

Nolan Cruz added, "I know they’re going to bring it to us so we have to bring our A game when we go to Saipan. We’ve been working hard for the past months preparing for this tournament. It feels good and it’s very humbling and good experience out there. It feels to represent my island and I’m pretty sure a lot of our Guam fans are going to be there to support us. I know the competition is going to be very good." 

Catch the action with live coverage from Saipan at www.northernmarianas2022.com.