Knight baseballers beat Pateros twice to end season

ROYAL CITY - The young Royal High baseball team beat Pateros, 8-1 and 6-5, on a wet home field last week to set up a potential comeback season next year.

A club with only one senior, the Knights finished with a 4-game winning streak and a 7-13 mark. They had a promising win over Kiona-Benton and just missed a few other SCAC wins.

"We did a lot of growing this season and, by losing only Johnny Montoya, we hope to compete for a playoff spot next year," coach Daren Christensen said.

After some anxious, rainy deliberations, Aaron Johnson started the first game and had another solid performance. He went the distance while giving up only three hits.

Sam Christensen batted 1-2, was hit by a pitch - twice - and scored two runs. Another offensive contributor was sophomore Carson Gilbert, who had two hits. He plated Teddy Mead on a double in the fifth inning to make the score 3-1.

The Knights scored four more runs in the sixth. They came from Robert Martinez, Riley Lefler, Freshman Juan Niebla and Sam Christensen.

Field conditions worsened for the second game because of rain, but the teams played on. Kaden Jenks started and had a hard time early on with the wet ball and his off speed pitches. Pateros took a 4-1 lead after four innings.

Johnson brought the team to life in the bottom of the fourth when he hit the first and only home run for the Knights this year. That made the score 4-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, sophomore Randy Dunn, in his first varsity start, had a two-out single and stole second. Sam Christensen scored him on a single up the middle and then came home on an error to tie the game.

Pateros took a new lead, 5-4, in the top of the sixth, but Royal came back. Johnson scored the tying run on a RBI single by Lefler.

In the bottom of the seventh, Sam Christensen hit a triple to deep right field. Pateros intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases and hope for a double play.

Johnson spoiled those plans. He hit a deep shot to right field that scored Sam Christensen with the winning run.