_{Gwen Lizarraga High School boys – NSSSA 2025 Male Softball Champions}

by William Ysaguirre (Freelance Writer)

PUNTA GORDA TOWN, Toledo District, Sat. Mar. 22, 2025

The Gwen Lizarraga High School boys won the National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) softball championships hosted by Toledo Community College at the Victor Sanchez Union Stadium in Punta Gorda Town on Friday and Saturday, March 21-22. This was the 3rd national championship the Gwen Liz boys have won this year, having repeated as national basketball champions in December, and they also won the national football championship at the Marshalleck Stadium last month!

In Game 1 on Friday afternoon, the Central regional champions – the Gwen Liz boys outlasted the Northern regional champions, the Ladyville Technical High School boys, 11-8, as pitcher Raymond Gentle struck out 3 batters, walked 2, and gave up 6 hits. The Gwen Liz diamond made 3 errors, allowing Ladyville’s Ashwin Sanchez and pitcher Kymanie Flowers to each score 2 runs, while Lyndon Ferguson, Dion Logan, Dayril Mahler and Keon scored a run apiece.

_{Augustine Pitterson – Most Valuable Player}

The Gwen Liz boys collected 4 hits off Kymanie Flowers, who struck out 4 batters but walked 12. The Ladyville diamond made 6 errors, allowing MVP Augustine Pitterson, Shane Vernon and Raymond Gentle, Jr. to each score 2 runs, while Milton Flores, Keyon Yorke, Juvann Morgan, Alex Flores and Ajare August each scored a run.

_{Belmopan Comprehensive Flames boys – NSSSA 2025 Male Softball Sub-Champions}

In Game 2, Friday’s nightcap, the Western regional champions, the Belmopan Comprehensive Flames qualified to the finals by a 10-9 win over the Southern regional champions, the Independence High School Invaders. The Invaders collected 7 hits off pitcher Dorlon Ho, who struck out 7 batters and walked 6. The Flames’ diamond made 3 errors, allowing Kevaughn Coe to cross the plate thrice, while Jaheel Augustine scored twice, and Jevan Cabral, Everardo Amaya, Ibemei Martinez and Zion Ramsey scored a run apiece.

The Flames collected 3 hits off Ibemei Martinez, who struck out 5 batters, but walked 12. Jamir Moody led the Flames’ attack, scoring 3 runs; while Xavi Trujillo and Essian Pandy each scored 2 runs. David Gongora, Earl Aragon and Ho scored a run each.

In Game 3 the consolation match for 3rd place on Saturday morning, the Ladyville boys won 12-2 over the Independence boys by mercy rule in the 3rd inning. The Invaders got only one hit off Kymanie Flowers, who struck out 4 batters and walked 3. The Ladyville diamond made one error, and only Corey Choco crossed the plate twice for the Invaders.

The Ladyville boys collected 8 hits off Ibemei Martinez, who struck out 8 batters and walked 4, allowing Sanchez, Allen Ramirez, Mahler and Jerome Myvette to each score 2 runs. Flowers, Ferguson, Logan and Elsworth Dominguez scored a run apiece.

In Game 4, the championship final on Saturday afternoon, pitcher Raymond Gentle struck out 3 batters and walked 3, as he led the Gwen Liz boys to a 15-5 win by mercy rule over the Belmopan Flames. The Belmopan boys collected only 2 hits off Gentle, while the Gwen Liz diamond made 6 errors, allowing Darwin Saravia and David Gongora to score 2 runs each, while Trujillo scored once.

MVP Augustine Pitterson keyed the Gwen Liz attack, hitting 2 home runs. They collected 7 hits off Dorlon Ho and his relief Gongora, who struck out 3 batters but walked 17. The Flames’ diamond made 2 errors, allowing Pitterson to cross the plate thrice, while Milton Flores, Shane Vernon, Jauvann Morgan, and Ajare August each scored twice. Keyon Yorke, Alex Flores, Devin McCaulay and Kenrick Maldonado each scored once.

NSSSA president Francis Pascual and the NSSSA executive committee presented team trophies and individual medals to the champions, sub-champions and third place winners in the awards ceremony after the finals. Gwen Liz shortstop, Augustine Pitterson received the Most Valuable Player award, and his home run ball. (AMANDALA Ed. Note: The Year of Gwen Liz!! Much thanks to William Ysaguirre for noting that amazing stat. Absolutely awesome! Gwen Liz boys are currently the national high school champions of basketball, football and also now softball, and some of their players’ names keep popping up in all three sports. Hats off to their teachers/coaches also.)