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The NMI U15 National Baseball Team had one goal in mind during the 2025 U15 Men’s Baseball WBSC Oceania Qualifier: get a spot in the 2026 World Cup in Italy. Australia got the ticket instead but CNMI delivered a strong showing from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1—finishing second in the three-team field and sweeping all three of their games against rival Guam at the Dededo Sports Complex.
The boys in blue closed out the tournament with a 3-3 record, with all three losses coming at the hands of powerhouse Australia who went through the tourney undefeated. Still, the NMI held their ground, put up solid offensive numbers, and kept pushing through long, back-to-back game days.
Offensively, the CNMI lineup was on fire, hitting .345 as a team. One of the team captains, Kayden Lizama, led the entire tournament with a scorchingly high .600 batting average and a .636 on-base percentage. Defensively, it was NMI’s weak point, but despite errors and miscues, they stayed locked in and kept competing.
Day 1 set the tone for the roller-coaster of a weekend. The NMI dropped their opener to Australia, 0-15, but bounced back just hours later with a commanding 24-5 win over Guam.
They handled Guam again in their next matchup, 22-15, before falling to Australia a second time, 2-17. The boys then finished their sweep of Guam—routing them 18-2 in their final meeting—but the Aussies once again proved too much in the tournament finale, handing the NMI a 3-25 loss.
After the tournament, head coach Anthony Salas said the team went in with high expectations. “We expected to win every game and advance to Worlds in Italy. Obviously that didn’t happen, but the kids gave it their best in each game and that’s all we can ask for. Playing hard is everything in my opinion.”
He added that the team’s effort never wavered through it all. “They stayed together through each game no matter the score. They played hard, and that’s all us coaches asked for.”
For the CNMI baseball program, this tournament was about more than wins and losses. It was a chance to give young players meaningful reps against high-caliber teams. “This means a lot for our future,” Salas said. “These kids got to experience playing alongside a top tier Australia team and a great Guam team. They got to see competitive gameplay.”
As for who on the team stood out the most, Salas said, “All of them stood out. Baseball is a team sport, so watching them grind through multiple double-header days was fun. They had their ups and downs, but they played hard.”
His proudest moment? Seeing the boys battle every game. “It’s not easy to travel and play on someone’s home field. I’m proud of them for showing up and taking on the challenge each game.”
Salas then said he learned a lot as a coach for the team. “I learned that each kid is coached differently. Each kid brings a unique talent to the team,” he said. “I learned that wins and losses don’t make a great team. Battling through adversity makes a team!”
Looking ahead to more regional competitions and how they can build on this momentum, Salas said, “I think starting our season earlier will help a lot. Letting these kids mesh before off-island play is huge. I hope to see baseball played year-round and I hope we can start building our program to be able to send kids off to college to play at a higher level.”
They may not be heading to Italy, but the NMI left Guam with confidence, valuable experience, and proof that the next wave of local baseball talent is on the rise.
The team consisted of Gonshiro Sasamoto, Jarell Herman, Donray Barcinas, Kaleb Reyes, Kayden Lizama, Zekiel Falig, Aiden Lizama, John Fred, Eric Palacios Jr., Tiwsormal Taisakan, Kainoa Tenorio, Preston Santos, Payton Pangelinan, Dylan Barcinas, Tatum Jones, Caleb Cabrera, Liam Sablan, and Leighton Tomokane-Tenorio.
The coaching staff included head coach Anthony Salas, Eric Palacios, Francisco Leito, manager Kyle Hocog, and head of delegation Alvin Takai.
By Leigh Gases
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