Royals Take First Two from No. 14 Reinhardt to Open Conference Play

WALESKA, Ga. — Royals baseball opened Appalachian Athletic Conference play in impressive fashion Friday, going on the road and taking the first two games of a three-game series against No. 14 Reinhardt. The Royals claimed a 7-5 win in game one before edging the Eagles 5-4 in game two to secure the series victory and improve to 8-1 overall (2-0 AAC).

"What a couple of games to be part of," head coach Dave Serrano said. "Nothing was easy all day and both were tight games until the last out. We've been fortunate to have played many games like this that will continue to battle test us for the long run. I'm proud of the success we are having as a team but I still believe we can keep improving in many areas. This team loves winning together and that's a great trait to have."

Game One – Johnson 7, Reinhardt 5

Johnson used timely hitting and steady pitching to outlast Reinhardt in the opener.

The Royals struck first in the second inning, capitalizing on a Reinhardt error to plate two unearned runs. After the Eagles answered with a run of their own, Johnson created separation in the fifth inning when Travis Hobbensiefken launched a three-run home run to left field, pushing the lead to 5-1.

Reinhardt chipped away late, scoring twice in the eighth and bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth. With the bases loaded and momentum shifting, Kaleb Townsend entered in a high-leverage situation and delivered.

"There's nothing more fun than coming in a high leverage situation late in the game with the guys you've spent months preparing with," Townsend said. "The biggest thing I was thinking about with the bases loaded was there's nowhere for them to go so I have to be on the attack the entire at bat and execute whatever pitch was called."

Townsend recorded the final out to secure the 7-5 victory and the save. Colby Reynolds earned the win after six strong innings, while the Royals' bullpen combined to hold off the late charge.

Game Two – Johnson 5, Reinhardt 4

The nightcap featured early fireworks.

Joseph Brown wasted no time, crushing a three-run home run in the first inning to give Johnson a quick 3-0 lead. Reinhardt answered immediately with a three-run first of its own, setting up a tightly contested battle the rest of the way.

JJ Menesini delivered an RBI single in the second inning to regain the lead, and shortstop Christian Altamirano provided the eventual difference-maker in the fourth with a solo home run to left.

Altamirano turned in a perfect day at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with a double and a home run.

"I just got pitches that I could handle and did my job for the team," Altamirano said. "It feels good. All we are focused on is getting the win tomorrow and finishing the job."

Jacob Jacome earned the win after five innings of work, and once again Townsend closed the door. The senior right-hander tossed a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save and cap off a dominant day out of the bullpen.

"The only change for the second game was a tighter score, which means the same as the first game — had to be on the attack and execute," Townsend said. "I was also able to use all four pitches the second game to change up the looks."

With the two victories, the Royals have secured a series win against a top-15 opponent on the road to open conference play. Johnson will look to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EST in Waleska, Georgia.