Royals Forget to Show Up, Lose 16-1 to Lugnuts
With a little over half of their roster in attendance, the Royals were flat all day against the Lugnuts, falling 16-1 in 7 innings.
Jose Amezola started for the second straight week, but got little help from his defense. An error on the first batter led to 2 unearned runs in the top of the 1st inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Marcel Patterson Jr led off with a double. He moved to 3rd on a Zach Sloane ground out, and Jason Bolding cashed him in with an rbi single.
But after a promising start, that was all the offense the Royals would muster. Seriously, their only other baserunner was a walk to Patterson Jr in the final frame, and after swiping second, he got picked off to end any hopes of another run.
Meanwhile, the Lugnuts offense got to Amezola in the 2nd, scoring 7 more runs and essentially putting the game away. Jake Romo worked 4 innings of relief, allowing 6 runs, and Mike Miller finished things off by allowing 1 run in his only inning of work.
These two teams will face off again in July, with playoff implications aplenty.
Pitching
Jose Amezola - 2IP, 7ER, 9H, 3BB
Jake Romo - 4IP, 4ER, 10H, 3K, 3BB
Mike Miller - 1IP, 1ER, 2H, BB
Batting
Marcel Patterson Jr - 1-2, 2B, R, BB, SB
Jason Bolding - 1-2, RBI
Zach Sloane - 0-2
Mike Miller - 0-2
Greg Falk - 0-2
Daniel Kahn - 0-2
Jake Romo - 0-2
Vivek Sarabu - 0-2
Kyle Tillack 0-3
Phillip Gerber - 0-1
Jose Amezola - 0-1
Justin "Juice" Born - 0-1
Royals Walk Off Berserkers 6-5 in 10 Innings
If there is one team that refuses to give the Royals a break, it's the Berserkers. And for the second game in as many seasons, it took the Royals to their last batter to come away with a victory, this time walking off 6-5 in a 10-inning battle with their rivals.
New Royal Jose Amezola took the hill for the Royals and worked a quiet first. Marcel Patterson Jr. led off the bottom of the inning with a single and a stolen base. Kyle Tillack singled him home, then stole a base of his own. A passed ball and a wild pitch brought home Tillack, and gave the Royals a 2-0 lead.
Amezola worked a quiet second, but ran into trouble in the 3rd. A single, walk and hit batsman loaded the bases before a single brought home 2 and chased Amezola from the game. Jake Romo relieved, but allowed another run on a single, giving the Berserkers a 3-2 lead. Romo worked one more frame before Brett Kahanowitch relieved him in the 5th.
Both offenses were quiet until the bottom of the 6th when the Royals struck again. With 2 outs, Kyle Tillack tripled, and Brett Kahanowitch singled him home on the next pitch to tie the game at 3.
The Berserkers came right back in the top of the 7th, getting a run on a pair of singles and a walk, but Kahanowitch struck out 2 to get out of the jam.
In the bottom of the 7th, the Royals power showed up. Cleanup man Zach Sloane doubled, and after moving to 3rd on a ground out, Mike Miller doubled him home. Ryan Elliott followed immediately with a double of his own, and the Royals regained the lead 5-4.
Heading into the top of the 9th with a 1-run lead, the Berserkers were against the ropes. After a single and a stolen base, Kahanowitch struck out the bottom 2 men in the order, and induced a ground ball to second. The ball skipped into right field for an error, and the game was tied up. Another strikeout ended the inning, but the damage was done.
The Berserkers retired the Royals quickly in the bottom of the 9th, and there was still plenty of time for bonus baseball.
Kahanowitch worked around a walk in the top of the 10th, bringing the Royals up in the bottom of the frame still tied 5-5. Ryan Elliott led off the inning with a single, and Greg Falk sac bunted him to second. Jason Bolding reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners, but a strikeout brought up pitcher Jake Romo with 2 outs. Romo wasted no time lacing a ground ball through the 5-6 hole for his biggest hit as a Royal - a walk-off rbi-single (off his former coach, no less!)
Congrats to the Berserkers on another legendary match-up. Can't wait to face you guys again in July, with playoff seeding on the line!
Pitching
Jose Amezola - 2.2IP, 3ER, 2H, 3BB
Jake Romo - 1.1IP, 0R, 2H
Brett Kahanowitch - W, 6IP, ER, 4H, 7K, 4BB, HBP, PO
Batting
Kyle Tillack - 2-4, 3B, 2R, RBI, SB
Ryan Elliott - 2-4, 2B, R, RBI
Jake Romo - 2-3, RBI (walk-off single)
Marcel Patterson Jr - 1-3, R, BB, 2SB
Zach Sloane - 1-3, 2B, R, BB
Jason Bolding - 1-3, BB
Mike Miller - 1-4, 2B, R, RBI
Brett Kahanowitch - 1-4, RBI
Greg Falk - 0-2, BB, SACB, SB
Nick Ibanez - 0-2, 2BB
Daniel Kahn - 0-4
Vivek Sarabu - 0-1
Jose Amezola - 0-0
Justin "Juice" Born - 0-0
Royals Stay Hot, Down Mudhens 7-3
For the second straight week, the Royals hopped on the back of another hot pitcher, this time riding Ryan Schapery to a complete game 7-3 victory over the Mudhens.
The Mudhens looked strong early, as their starter struck out 4 of the first 6 batters he faced. In the bottom of the 1st, they took an early 1-0 lead on a pair of singles.
In the top of the 3rd, the Royals came back strong. With 2 outs, Daniel Kahn singled to right (capped off with a fabulous face-plant "slide" into first base), and Greg Falk singled to move him into scoring position. Kyle Tillack singled and brought home Kahn, and Zach Sloane singled to bring home Falk and give the Royals a 2-1 lead.
The Royals continued to put the pressure on in the top of the 4th, as Ryan Schapery doubled over the left fielder's head to lead off the inning. Mike Miller moved him to 3rd on a ground out, and Marcel Patterson Jr brought him home on an infield single to make it 3-1.
More Royals In the top of the 5th, Kyle Tillack reached on a single, then moved to second on an error. Zach Sloane singled him to 3rd, and with 2 outs, Ryan Schapery helped his own cause with an rbi-single to make it 4-1.
The Mudhens got 2 back in the bottom of the 5th on a single, an error, a hit batsman, a sac fly and a walk. After 5 full innings, the Royals led 4-3.
Both pitchers were in cruise control, and the Royals defense stepped up in support of Schapery. In the bottom of the 6th, shortstop Greg Falk gunned a runner at home to keep the Mudhens off the board. In the bottom of the 7th, Schapery picked a runner off second, and in the bottom of the 8th, Marcel Patterson Jr came up with the play of the game, running down a fly ball into DEEP left center, taking away what would have been extra bases and a game-tying rbi for sure (with the deep dimensions at Glendale Sports Complex, that ball would have likely been a home run at most fields.)
In the top of the 9th, the Royals were looking for some insurance. After 2 quick outs, Jason Bolding singled, and Daniel Kahn singled him into scoring position. Designated runner Marcel Patterson Jr swiped third, and scored on a Rick Valdez double. With designated runner Mike Miller aggressively leading off third, he drew an errant throw from the catcher that went down the left field line to bring home 2 more runs, giving the Royals a late 7-3 lead.
That's all Ryan Schapery needed - well, that and one more great play by center fielder Marcel Patterson Jr - to finish off the Mudhens.
Congrats to the Mudhens on a great game, playing a late afternoon/evening game that had the sun in the defenses' eyes most of the day. But especially, congratulations to Ryan Schapery for his first victory as a Royals pitcher!
Pitching
Ryan Schapery - W, CG, 9IP, ER, 8H, 2K, 3BB, 2HBP
Batting
Daniel Kahn - 3-4, 2R
Zach Sloane - 3-4, RBI
Ryan Schapery - 2-4, 2B, R, RBI
Kyle Tillack - 2-4, R, RBI, SB
Greg Falk - 1-3, R
Marcel Patterson Jr - 1-3, RBI, BB, 2SB
Jason Bolding - 1-4, R
Rick Valdez - 1-2, 2B, R, RBI
Mike Miller - 0-4
Ryan Elliott - 0-4
Phillip Gerber - 0-1
Jake Romo - 0-1
Justin "Juice" Born - 0-0
Vivek Sarabu - 0-0
Royals Come Back in 8th, Win 9-8
The short-staffed Royals trailed for the first 7 innings, but an 8th inning rally gave the boys in royal blue an emotional win against the Warriors. With their top 3 pitchers and middle infielders out, the Royals had some interesting decisions ahead of them. With a catcher on the mound, corner infielders up the middle, outfielders at the corner infield spots and an infielder in left, the Royals defense committed 7 errors on the day that led to 6 unearned runs.
Rick Valdez got the start and worked a quiet first inning. But in the top of the 2nd, the Warriors put up 5 runs on 3 hits, 3 errors, a walk and 2 hit batsmen.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Mike Miller walked, and moved to second on a Phillip Gerber walk. Marcel Patterson Jr. loaded the bases on an infield single, and Jason Bolding hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Miller.
The Warriors answered back with a run of their own in the top of the 3rd, but the Royals answered right back. Zach Sloane led off and reached on an error. Kyle Tillack doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd, and Sloane scored on a passed ball. Ryan Elliott drove home Tillack with a sacrifice fly, and the Royals cut the lead to 6-3.
After Valdez held the Warriors scoreless in the 4th and the 5th (including 4 strikeouts over that span), the offense came alive again in the bottom of the 5th. Zach Sloane and Kyle Tillack led off with back-to-back singles. Ryan Elliott walked, and Rick Valdez walked to bring home Sloane. After the Warriors catcher picked off Tillack at 3rd base, Mike Miller singled home Elliott to cut the Warriors lead to 6-5.
But the Warriors answered right back with 2 of their own in the top of the 6th. Not to be outdone, Marcel Patterson Jr led off the bottom of the 6th by reaching on an error. Jason Bolding reached on an error, and Patterson Jr scored all the way from first. Daniel Kahn singled to right to bring home Bolding's runner (the Juice was loose), and the Royals again cut the lead to 1 run, trailing 8-7.
From here on, Rick Valdez was on a mission, allowing just 1 baserunner the final 3 frames. The momentum had definitely swung the Royals direction, and they capitalized in the bottom of the 8th. With 1 out, Jason Bolding singled, and designated runner Marcel Patterson Jr swiped second. After Daniel Kahn walked, Zach Sloane tied the game with an rbi-single, and Kyle Tillack gave the Royals their first lead in 3 weeks with a sac fly to right. That would be enough for the Royals, as they finished the game with a hard-fought 9-8 victory.
Congrats to the Warriors on yet another great game in this rivalry! While it doesn't make up for the Warriors 1-run championship victory over the Royals in 2014, it definitely felt good Sunday.
And finally, congrats to the entire Royal team. Playing out of position isn't easy, but the team pulled together to come up with a tough win. And especially congrats to Player of the Game Rick Valdez, who at 40-something years old, threw a gem of a complete game. Great job!
Pitching
Rick Valdez - W, CG, 9IP, 2ER, 10H, 8K, BB, 2HBP
Batting
Zach Sloane - 2-5, 2R, RBI
Kyle Tillack - 2-4, 2B, R, RBI, SACF
Rick Valdez - 1-3, RBI, BB
Mike Miller - 1-3, R, RBI, BB
Marcel Patterson Jr - 1-4, R, SB
Jason Bolding - 1-3, 2R, RBI, SACF
Daniel Kahn - 1-3, R, RBI, BB
Ryan Elliott - 0-3, R, RBI, BB, SACF
Phillip Gerber - 0-3, BB
Justin "Juice" Born - 0-0
Royals Stumble Vs Team Easton, Lose 6-2
After a quiet top of the first, Team Easton struck first in the bottom of the inning. Mike Miller took the hill for his first start of the season, and after 2 quick outs, a triple and a single plated the first run of the game.
In the top of the 2nd, the Royals answered right back. Marcel Patterson Jr. walked, then swiped 2nd and 3rd. With 2 outs, Nick Ibanez came through with an rbi-single to tie things up at 1-1.
Miller kept Team Easton off balance for the next 3 innings, working around a hit, a walk and a hit batter. Jake Romo took over in the bottom of the 5th, and was immediately met with trouble. A pair of triples, a single, an error and a balk brought home 3 runs for Team Easton. Ryan Elliott came on and induced a double play to get out of trouble, but Easton now led 4-1.
More offense from Team Easton in the bottom of the 6th added 2 more runs to their lead, and their pitching kept the Royals mostly quiet until the 9th.
With 2 outs in the top of the 9th, Zach Sloane doubled, and Ryan Elliott singled him home. But that's all the offense the Royals could muster, and Team Easton evened their record at 1-1.
With these two squad boasting some of the better pitching and defense stats in the league, their next meeting should have playoff implications on the line.
Pitching
Mike Miller- 4IP, 1ER, 3H, 2K, 2BB, HBP
Jake Romo - L, .1IP, 2ER, 3H
Ryan Elliott - 3.2IP, ER, 2H, 2K, 4BB
Batting
Zach Sloane - 2-4, 2-2B, R
Kyle Tillack - 1-3, BB
Ryan Elliott - 1-4, RBI
Nick Ibanez - 1-4, RBI
Marcel Patterson Jr - 0-1, R, 2BB, 3SB
Phillip Gerber - 0-2, BB
Greg Falk - 0-3, BB
Mike Miller - 0-3
Jason Bolding - 0-4
Daniel Kahn - 0-1
Jake Romo - 0-1
Justin "Juice" Born - 0-0
Royals Open Season With Win vs. Pirates
After weeks of unrelenting rain (that seemed to only fall on the weekends), the weather finally behaved the opening day for the Royals Spring 2017 season was upon us. Last summer, the Pirates hung on to win the championship over the Royals, so it was only fitting that these two squads hooked up again to start the spring season.
The shorthanded Pirates looked strong early, retiring the first two batters in the top of the first. But with 2 outs, Zach Sloane walked, and Brett Kahanowitch tripled him home. After Ryan Elliott walked, Jason Bolding laced a 2-strike double to left field to plate one more. It was a hit worth celebrating, as it was Bolding's 100th hit as a Royal - congrats! The Royals would leave 2 runners on, but lead 2-0 before the Pirates came to the plate.
Jake Romo took the mound for the Royals, and struck out a pair in a quiet first inning. Leading off the 2nd for the Royals, top draft pick Marcel Patterson Jr started his career by getting hit by a pitch. An errant pick off throw allowed him to show his speed, as he took 2 bases on the error. Rookie Nick Ibanez singled him home (his first hit as a Royal) a few pitches later. Greg Falk walked, and Kyle Tillack doubled home a run. After Zach Sloane walked to load the bases, Brett Kahanowitch and Ryan Elliott hit back-to-back sac flies to cap the scoring, giving the Royals a 6-0 lead.
After another quiet inning with Romo on the mound, the Royals were back at it. Skipper Mike Miller led off with a walk, and Marcel Patterson Jr followed by getting hit by ANOTHER pitch. Nick Ibanez walked to load the bases, and Phillip "Always Late" Gerber singled home Miller. Ric Valdez hit a sac fly to plate another, and with 2 outs, Kyle Tillack and Zach Sloane hit back-to-back rbi singles. Brett Kahanowitch walked to load the bases again, and Ryan Elliott reached on an error to bring home another. Jason Bolding singled home another, and Mike Miller walked to bring home the 6th and final run of the inning. After 2 and a half, the Royals led 12-0.
Jake Romo worked another quiet inning to end his day, and the Royals would turn to ace Brett Kahanowitch to take over in the 4th. The rust temporarily showed, as he gave up a run on 3 hits, but did manage to get his first of 2 double play balls in the process.
Both sides quieted down, and there was really no more action until the 8th. Leading off the 9th, Marcel Patterson Jr doubled to left for his first hit as a Royal. After swiping 3rd, he scored on Nick Ibanez's sac fly. Phillip Gerber walked, and Ric Valdez blasted a towering triple to right center to bring him home. After 7 and a half, the Royals led 14-1.
Kahanowitch worked around an unearned run in the bottom of the 9th to seal the deal, giving the Royals a 14-2 victory to open the season.
Congrats go out to both Marcel Patterson Jr and Nick Ibanez, as they both had their first hits, runs scored and rbis as a Royal - welcome to the team! And congrats to Jason Bolding on his 100th and 101st career hits - moving him into 13th place all time as a Royal!
Pitching
Jake Romo - 3IP, 0R, 2H, 2K, 3BB
Brett Kahanowitch - 6IP, 1ER, 7H, 5K, 2BB
Batting
Zach Sloane - 2-3, 2B, 2R, 2RBI, 2BB
Jason Bolding - 2-4, 2B, 2RBI
Kyle Tillack - 2-5, 2B, 2R, 2RBI
Marcel Patterson Jr - 1-2, 2B, 3R, 2HBP, SB
Rick Valdez - 1-2, 3B, 2RBI, BB, SACF
Nick Ibanez - 1-2, 2R, 2RBI, BB, SACF
Phillip Gerber - 1-2, 2R, RBI, BB
Justin "Juice" Born - 1-2
Brett Kahanowitch - 1-3, 3B, R, BB, SACF
Greg Falk - 1-4, R, BB
Mike Miller - 0-2, R, RBI, 2BB
Ryan Elliott - 0-2, RBI, BB, SACF
Jake Romo - 0-2
Vivek Sarabu - 0-2
After 14 years on the field, this season's team may very well have been the most dominant. The team led the league during the regular season in most offensive and pitching categories, and scored 33 runs while allowing just 4 earned in their 2 playoff games. Congrats go out to the entire squad on an amazing season!
Extra congratulations go to Zach Sloane (MVP, team leading 22 runs), Michael Schofield (Cy Young, team leading 22.2 innings pitched and 4 wins), Chris Dyer (team leading 0,53 ERA, .094 WHIP and 29 strikeouts as a pitcher), Trevor Nathanson (team leading .562 batting average, 18 hits and 5 hit by pitch), Dylan Pereira (team leading 20 rbis), Stephan Ohayon (team leading 12 walks as a hitter), and Ryan Elliott (team leading 12 stolen bases.)
For the second straight fall season, the Royals and Lookouts met in the big game. The Lookouts won their only regular season meeting this year, but the memory of watching the Royals celebrate the 2015 championship on this very field was still fresh in their minds. The weather report at Conejo Creek seemed grim, but the rain held off long enough to get the game in.
Michael Schofield took the mound for the Royals, striking out a pair in the first. The Royals' offense struck quickly in the bottom half of the inning. With Matt Stock on the mound for the Lookouts, Zach Sloane and Danny Platt led off with back-to-back singles, and Trevor Nathanson followed with a double off the wall in left center, plating Sloane. Chris Dyer grounded out to bring home another, and Dylan Pereira doubled home Nathanson. Stephan Ohayon reached on an error, and Ryan Schappery singled home Pereira. With 2 outs, Ryan Elliott singled home a pair, giving the Royals a 6-0 lead after 1.
In the top of the 2nd, the Royals logged 2 quick outs before their defense temporarily fell apart. Evan Haskell singled, and James White walked. Isaac Axelrod grounded up the middle, reaching on an error to load the bases. The Lookouts quickly took advantage of the miscue, scoring twice on a passed ball and an errant throw, and after a Justin Carl walk, Sean Jackson singled home Axelrod to cut the Royals lead to 6-3.
The Royals answered back in the bottom of the 2nd. Zach Sloane led off with a walk. Danny Platt followed with a single, and Trevor Nathanson walked to load the bases. After 2 outs, the Lookouts were on the verge of escaping the jam when Stephan Ohayon singled home a pair to increase the Royals lead to 8-3.
With one out in the top of the 3rd, the Lookouts' David Langstaff singled, and Matt Wapnick walked. With 2 outs, James White hit a ground ball between the legs of the Royals' shortstop, but left fielder Dylan Pereira threw a strike to catcher Zach Sloane to cut down the runner at home and keep the score 8-3.
In the bottom of the 3rd, the Royals' Rick Valdez led off with a walk, but was erased after Ryan Elliott grounded into a fielder's choice. Mike Miller singled, and both Elliott and Miller swiped bags to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. But the Lookouts' Matt Stock settled down and struck out the next 2 hitters to get out of the jam.
Both teams went quiet until the bottom of the 5th. The Lookouts brought in Evan Haskell to pitch, and with 1 out, Rick Valdez singled. After stealing 2nd, Valdez was balked to 3rd. With 2 outs, Mike Miller hit a slow roller to short, but a bad throw allowed Valdez to score. Miller strained his hamstring on the play, but the Royals' extended their lead to 9-3.
Ryan Schappery came in to relieve for the Royals and struck out the side in the top of the 6th on 9 pitches. In the bottom of the inning, Royals' pinch hitter Justin "Juice" Born and lead-off man Zach Sloane started things off with back-to-back walks. With 1 out, Trevor Nathanson singled to load the bases, and Chris Dyer grounded into
a fielder's choice, with Born being forced out at the plate. Now with 2 outs, Dylan Pereira skied a ball to deep center, but the center fielder dropped it, and all 3 runners scored, giving the Royals a 12-3 lead.
Schappery worked a quiet top of the 7th, and the Royals offense stayed hot in the bottom of the inning. Schappery and Rick Valdez each walked, and Ryan Elliott singled to load the bases. Michael Schofield got hit by a pitch to plate one and chase Haskell from the game. James White came in and struck out the side, but not before Zach Sloane hit a sac fly that was dropped to bring home another run and give the Royals a 14-3 lead.
The Royals brought in closer Chris Dyer, who immediately found himself in a little trouble. Greg Wapnick walked and Mike Wapnick singled to put 2 on with no outs. But David Langstaff lined a ball to third baseman Ryan Elliott, who quickly turned it into a double play by throwing to 2nd. Dyer struck out the next hitter to finish the frame.
In the bottom of the 8th, Dyer led off with a double. With one out, Stephan Ohayon walked, and Ryan Schappery was intentionally walked to load the bases. But James White induced a ground ball for the 2nd out, and David Rocha made an amazing diving catch in right to keep the score 14-3 heading into the 9th inning.
The bottom of the 9th was all Dyer, as he worked around a hit batsman to close things out and give the Royals their 2nd championship in as many years. The Lookouts put up another strong season, and deserve praise for that. But this game (and season) belonged to the Royals - your 2016 Fall AA Champions!
Royals
Danny Platt - 2-5, 2R
Trevor Nathanson - 2-4, 2B, 2R, RBI, BB
Ryan Elliott - 2-5, 2RBI, SB
Ryan Schappery - 2IP, 0R, 2H, 4K (co-MVP)
Chris Dyer - 2IP, 0R, H, 2K, BB, HBP (co-MVP)
Lookouts
Justin Carl - 2-3, BB
Sean Jackson - 2-3, RBI
Evan Haskell - 2IP, 2ER (6R), 3H, 4BB, HBP
James White - 2IP, 0R, H, 3K, BB
Royals Roast Ironbirds, Headed Back to the Ship
For the second straight season, the Royals and Ironbirds met in the playoffs. But unlike last season's walk-off thriller, the Royals would have an easier time this game.
Mike Miller took the mound for the Royals, and after 3 hits and an error, the Ironbirds took an early 2 run lead. Miller, without his best stuff, worked through the second without any more damage, allowing his offense a chance to catch fire.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Dylan Pereira and Jason Bolding led off with back-to-back walks. Rick Valdez singled home one, and another run scored on a wild pitch. Phillip Gerber walked, and Zach Sloane doubled home 1. Trevor Nathanson walked to load the bases, and Chris Dyer walked to bring home a third run. Dylan Pereira tripled home 3, and Jason Bolding hit a sac fly to plate him, capping the scoring and giving the Royals a comfortable 9-2 lead.
The Ironbirds plated one more in the 3rd, and Michael Schofield came in for the Royals in the 4th and worked a quiet inning. In the bottom of the 4th, Danny Platt led off with a walk. Trevor Nathanson walked, and after a few stolen bases and a passed ball, Platt scored. Chris Dyer walked, and Dylan Pereira hit his second triple of the game to cash in 2 more runs. Jason Bolding singled home Pereira, and Rick Valdez walked. Ryan Elliott singled home Bolding, and Valdez scored on some head's up baserunning. Phillip Gerber walked, and Mike Miller grounded into a double play, scoring Elliott. After 4 complete innings, the Royals led 16-3.
Schofield continued mowing down hitters in the top of the 5th, and the Royals offense was still hot. Zach Sloane led off the bottom of the 5th with a single. Trevor Nathanson reached on a hit by pitch, and Chris Dyer doubled home Sloane. Dylan Pereira hit a sac fly to bring home his BFF Nathanson, and Jason Bolding singled home Dyer, giving the Royals a 19-3 lead.
With time running out, Zach Sloane came in to work the final frame. He'd allow 4 runs (but only 2 earned) on 4 hits and a sac fly, but the Royals would finish the day with a 19-7 victory.
Congrats to the Ironbirds on another strong season. And finally, the entire Royal nation would like to wish Ironbird (and long-time PCBL veteran) Blair Feivou good luck in his baseball retirement. I personally have enjoyed competing against Blair for 14 years, and it won't be the same without him (although it might be safer, as he holds the record for most times hitting ME.)
Pitching
Mike Miller - 3IP, 2ER, 4H, BB, 2HBP
Michael Schofield - W, 3IP, 0H, 3K
Zach Sloane - IP, 2ER, 4H, K
Batting
Zach Sloane - 3-4, 2B, 2R, RBI
Dylan Pereira - 2-2, 2-3B, 3R, 6RBI, BB, SACF
Jason Bolding - 2-2, 2R, 3RBI, BB, SACF, 2SB
Ryan Elliott - 2-4, 2R, 2RBI, 2SB
Trevor Nathanson - 1-1, 2B, 3R, 2BB, HBP, SB
Chris Dyer - 1-2, 2B, 3R, 2RBI, 2BB
Rick Valdez - 1-3, 2R, RBI, BB, 2SB
Michael Schofield - 1-2
Phillip Gerber - 0-1, R, 3BB
Danny Platt - 0-3, R, BB, 2SB
Mike Miller - 0-1, BB, HBP
Justin "Juice" Born - 0-2
Daniel Kahn - DL
Royals Clinch Top Seed - Outlast Lions 15-11
Another sloppy day on defense nearly cost the Royals the top seed in the playoffs. But for the third time this season, the Royals battled back in their final at bat to clinch the victory.
Ryan Elliott took the mound for the Royals, and after a quiet first inning, 3 errors, 2 walks, a hit and hit batsman cost the Royals 4 runs.
Jake Romo pitched a quiet 3rd inning, before the Royals offense woke up. Phillip Gerber led off the bottom of the 3rd with a single. Zach Sloane singled, and after Danny Platt walked to load the bases, Chris Dyer doubled home a pair. Trevor Nathanson singled home another, and after a fielder's choice by Jason Bolding, he and Dyer executed a perfect double steal to tie the game at 4.
The Lions scored a pair against Romo and retook the lead in the 4th. Michael Schofield took over pitching duties in the 5th and worked a quiet inning. In the bottom of the 5th, Zach Sloane led off reaching on an error. Chris Dyer walked, and Trevor Nathanson doubled home Sloane. Jason Bolding hit a sac fly, and Ryan Elliott singled home another, giving the Royals their first lead of the day - 7-6.
The Lions wouldn't go away though, and put up 4 against Schofield in the top of the 6th, giving the Lions a 10-7 lead. Chris Dyer came in to start the 7th, and the Royal bats would capitalize on the momentum. After singing a duet of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", Danny Platt and Chris Dyer led off the bottom of the 7th with back-to-back doubles. Trevor Nathanson reached on a hit by pitch, and Jason Bolding followed with a double. With the game tied and one out, the Lions brought their infield in. Mike Miller followed with a fly ball to shallow center. While the Lions' second baseman made a terrific over-the-shoulder catch, the ball was deep enough to plate Bolding and give the Royals an 11-10 lead.
But the Lions, playing one of their best games since coming to the PCBL, had a little more in the tank. After a walk, 2 stolen bases and a bad throw gave them a run and tied things up at 11.
In the bottom of the 8th, the Royals finally slayed the beast (figuratively.) After 2 quick outs, Zach Sloane doubled, and Danny Platt singled him home. Chris Dyer walked, and Trevor Nathanson singled to load the bases. Jason Bolding hit a slow infield single to plate one, and 2 more runs scored on the same play on separate errors, giving the Royals a 15-11 lead.
That was all Chris Dyer needed, as he struck out the side in the top of the 9th to clinch the victory and the top seed in the playoffs.
Congrats to the Lions, who continue to improve every time we see them. After missing the playoffs by a slim margin, hopefully next season will be the year they break through!
Pitching
Ryan Elliott - 2IP, ER, H, 2K, 2BB, HBP
Jake Romo - 2IP, 2ER, 2H, 3K, 2BB
Michael Schofield - 2IP, 2ER, 3H, 4K, 3BB
Chris Dyer - BS, W, 3IP, 0ER, 0H, 6K, 2BB
Batting
Trevor Nathanson - 3-4, 2B, 3R, 3RBI, HBP
Chris Dyer - 2-3, 2-2B, 4R, 2RBI, 2BB, SB
Danny Platt - 2-3, 2B, 3R, RBI, 2BB, SB
Zach Sloane - 2-5, 2B, 3R, SB
Jason Bolding - 2-4, 2B, R, 2RBI, SB, SACF
Phillip Gerber - 1-2, R, BB
Ryan Elliott - 1-5, RBI
Mike Miller - 0-2, RBI, BB, SACF
Michael Schofield - 0-3, BB, CS
Jake Romo - 0-1
Justin "Juice" Born - 0-4
Daniel Kahn - DL
