UOG baseball returns this week after 20 years

UOG baseball returns this week after 20 years

UOG baseball returns this week after 20 years


2/22/2022

Photo of Coach Roke Alcantara Jr. and McHiver Williams
Coach Roke Alcantara Jr., left, throws the ball to student-athlete McHiver Williams during the University of Guam baseball tryouts held Dec. 5 on the George Washington High School baseball field.

After 20 years in the dugout, the University of Guam Tritons Baseball Team will return to the diamond this week at the “University of Guam 70th Anniversary Celebration Tritons Baseball Invitational” at the Paseo Stadium in Hagåtña.

The two-weekend tournament will kick off with an opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on Friday to honor the baseball members of the Triton Athletics Hall of Fame. Following the ceremony, the first pitches will be thrown by special guests Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, former UOG President Robert Underwood, and Richard Martinez — who was known as the most powerful hitter in Guam during his time.

“This is a significant moment for us. We’re looking forward to honoring the Triton baseball players of the past and welcoming this new generation of Tritons as they step up to the plate,” said UOG Athletics Director Doug Palmer. “We’re excited to show the community that baseball is back at UOG.”

Four teams will compete in the tournament: the Tritons, Dodgers, Amigos, and the Guam Junior National Team.

Photo of Coach Roke Alcantara Jr.
Coach Roke Alcantara Jr.
The Tritons are led by Coach Roke Alcantara Jr., who has more than 30 years of experience playing baseball and 10 years of coaching experience.

"Baseball on Guam is coming back stronger than ever despite the pandemic challenges,” Alcantara said. “I am glad that we are able to re-launch our UOG baseball program, and I am grateful for our student-athletes, UOG administrators, and our partner sponsors. We are ready to play ball!”

The first weekend of the tournament will follow a round-robin format, where each team plays each other once. The second weekend will follow a double-elimination format starting on Friday, March 4, with the championship game scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 6. If both championship game teams end up with one loss after the championship game, the teams will play another game on Friday, March 11, to determine the winner.

All games will have seven innings except for the championship games, which will have nine innings. Trophies will be given to the champion team and runner-up teams. The Most Valuable Player and the All-Tournament Team — the top 10 players of the tournament — will be recognized and presented with an award.

Players, umpires, administrative officials, and spectators must show proof of vaccination upon entry. Adults will be charged a $3 entrance fee, non-UOG students will be charged $2, and UOG students are free of charge. Each game is limited to 100 spectators.

All UOG games will be recorded and posted on the Triton Athletics YouTube channel. Fans can also tune into the Triton Sports Zone video podcast to stay up to date with the latest athletics news, watch exclusive athlete interviews, and learn about upcoming events and games. The podcast episodes are live at 6 p.m. every Thursday on the Triton Athletics Facebook channel

For more information or questions about the tournament, contact UOG Athletics Director Doug Palmer at palmerd@triton.uog.edu or (671) 735-2862.

Tournament Schedule – Weekend 1:

Friday, Feb. 25:

  • 7 p.m. – Tritons vs. Dodgers

Saturday, Feb. 26:

  • Noon – Guam Junior National Team vs. Amigos
  • 3:30 p.m. – Guam Junior National Team vs. Dodgers
  • 7 p.m. – Tritons vs. Amigos

Sunday, Feb. 27:

  • 3:30 p.m. – Amigos vs. Dodgers
  • 7 p.m. – Guam Junior National Team vs. Tritons

Tournament Schedule – Weekend 2:

Friday, March 4:

  • 7 p.m. – Game 1: #1 Seed vs. #4 Seed

Saturday, March 5:

  • Noon – Game 2: #2 Seed vs. #3 Seed
  • 3:30 p.m. – Game 3: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser
  • 7 p.m. – Game 4: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner

Sunday, March 6:

  • 3:30 p.m. – Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser
  • 7 p.m. – Championship Game 1: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner

Friday, March 11 (If Necessary):

  • 7 p.m. – Championship Game 2