Royals Rally Late to Sweep Spartanburg Methodist, Improve to 16-1

SPARTANBURG, SC— The Royals showed resilience Sunday afternoon, battling back from a late deficit to defeat Spartanburg Methodist 8-7 in 10 innings at Mooneyham Field, completing the series sweep and extending their win streak to 13 games.

With the win, Johnson improves to 16-1 overall and 8-0 in AAC play.

After a long Saturday and a quick turnaround for Sunday's finale, both teams showed signs of fatigue in a back-and-forth contest that featured multiple momentum swings. Spartanburg Methodist built a 7-4 lead in the seventh inning after a three-run homer, putting the Royals in a late hole. The Royals chipped away in the eighth when Grayson Shehan lifted a sacrifice fly to center, trimming the deficit to 7-5. Then in the ninth, Christian Altamirano delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon, launching a two-run home run to left field to tie the game at 7-7 and send the Royals' dugout into celebration.

"That was a big two-run shot by Christian Altamirano in the 9th to get us tied up," said head coach Dave Serrano. "It was nice that our team fought back and found a way to win. After a long Saturday and a quick turnover to Sunday it was sloppy by both teams. I'm proud of how we fought through some adversity to overcome the deficit and get another sweep."

In the 10th inning, Johnson manufactured the go-ahead run. Jesse Rojas delivered a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Edwin Olmeda Jr. and giving the Royals an 8-7 advantage.

On the mound, Kaleb Townsend was outstanding in relief, tossing three scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season. Townsend shut the door over the final frames, stranding Spartanburg Methodist runners and preserving the comeback victory.

Altamirano finished with three runs scored and two RBIs, highlighted by his game-tying homer. Luke Wilson added three hits at the top of the lineup, while Austin Menesini drove in two runs as part of a nine-hit effort for the Royals.

Despite being outhit on the afternoon, Johnson capitalized on key moments, drew seven walks, and executed in late-game situations to secure the sweep.

"We play five games this next week so that will be a challenge for this team as well," Serrano added. "We've got to stay focused and continue to get better."

The Royals now return home for a busy stretch of five games this week. Johnson will host Cumberland (TN) on Tuesday, March 3 at 4 p.m. EST, followed by Lindsey Wilson on Wednesday, March 4 at 3 p.m. EST. The week continues with a conference doubleheader against Bethel (TN) on Saturday, March 7 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. EST, before closing the series against Bethel on Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m. EST.

With momentum on their side and Russell Morgan Field set to welcome the Royals back home, Johnson looks to keep its 13-game win streak rolling.