Strong Royal showing in split

ROYAL CITY - A strong performance was evident for the improving

Royal Knights baseball team on Saturday.

ROYAL 0-3, Burbank 5-2

ROYAL CITY - A strong performance was evident for the improving Royal Knights baseball team on Saturday.

Playing host to a doubleheader against South Central Athletic Conference (SCAC) East rivals Columbia Burbank, the Knights would up splitting the twinbill, losing a competitive 5-0 game in the opener before taking the nightcap 3-2.

"I was very happy with the effort that the team showed today," Royal head coach Daren Christensen said. "When they play seven innings of solid baseball they believe that they can come away with wins."

In the first game, Royal (7-9, 3-3) were locked up in a pitchers' dual, as the game remained scoreless after five innings.

Starter Kent Christensen held Burbank in check before the visitors broke loose in a three-run sixth inning and they would roll from there in the late going,

" During that game the team played together and built confidence that would work to their advantage in the second game," coach Christensen said.

Royal was held to three total hits in the first game.

Danny Vermeer took the mound for game two an pitched a complete game for Royal and worked overtime to do so.

The Knights and Burbank had to go eight innings to settle their differences before Royal won late.

"Danny was able to keep the hitters off balance with good location and change of speed," Daren Christensen said.

Vermeer pitched a two-hitter with both knocks being home runs.

The teams were tied 1-1 after seven before Burbank struck first in extras.

Anthony Westcott started the Royal rally with a walk and Uli Montoya singled. A passed ball moved the runners to second and third bases.

Brady Dixon singled home Westcott as Montoya moved 90 feet closer to home plate. Tanner Whitaker hit a smash to shortstop that was bobbled and that allowed Montoya to score the game winner.

"Our boys battled back and competed with a lot of energy and pose that has been building all year," Daren Christensen said. 

At catcher, Montoya threw out three runners in game two.