Royal boys win four to make districts

ROYAL CITY — It’s been and up and down SCAC East season for the Royal High baseball team, and last week was way up.

The Knights went 4-0 to improve their league record to 4-4 and overall record to 10-10 to finish the regular season. And they qualified for district.

The Knights are off next week as they prepare for the district tournament on Tuesday May 10. The official bracket was yet to come out so coach Joe Avila didn’t know Monday who his boys are to play or where.

The four victories that got Royal into district were 4-3 and 9-3 over River View and 5-1 and 14-4 over Burbank.

In the 4-3 contest, pitcher Sam Christensen picked up the win by striking out eight Panther hitters. Sawyer Stakkeland had a double, a run scored and two runs batted in.

Carson Gilbert had a single and a run scored. Sam Christensen had a single and RBI. Randy Dunn reached base three times and scored a run.

In the 9-3 triumph, Dunn got the start, going six innings while allowing only one run and striking out eight to pick up the win. Juan Niebla went 2-4 with a double, a single, and three runs scored.

Sam Christensen went 2-3 with two singles, a run scored, and two RBI. Dunn had a single and two RBI.

Corbin Christensen had a double and a RBI. Adrian Trinidad walked twice and scored two runs. Addin Felker reached base three times, scoring a run.

“Sam and Randy threw the ball extremely well,” Avila said. “We needed them to come out and throw strikes, and that is exactly what they did. We mixed in a few timely hits and came out on top. It was good day to be at the yard.”

Kaden Jenks got the start in the 5-1 win, going the distance while racking up 14 punch-outs. Corbin Christensen went 1-3 with a RBI and run scored.

Adrian Trinidad went 1-3 with a RBI. Juan Niebla went 1-2 with a run scored. Kaden Jenks went 1-3 with a single and RBI. Sawyer Stakkeland scored a run and Addin Felker added a RBI.

In the 5-inning 14-4 victory, Dunn got the start, striking out five in four innings of work. Carson Gilbert went 3-4 with three singles and two runs scored.

Kaden Jenks went 3-4 with three singles, two RBI and two runs scored. Juan Niebla went 2-2 with a single, double, walk, two runs scored and two RBI.

Sawyer Stakkeland went 2-3 with a single, home run and three RBI. Dunn walked three times, had an RBI and scored two runs. Addin Felker and Irvin Cedillo each added an RBI and run scored.

“Randy and Kaden each struggled a bit in the first and settled in real well after,” Avila said. “They have come up big for us all year, and today was no different. They threw a ton of strikes and the punch-outs show it.”

“As a team, we swung it really well and took full advantage of the opportunities the game gave us,” Avila added. “Very proud of the effort our boys have given all season long.”