Royal Knights take 2 from River View in baseball
Ted Escobar/The Sun Tribune - Adrian Trinidad rolls a ball through the right side of the infield in the bottom of the fourth inning to ignite the first-game winning rally.
Ted Escobar/The Sun Tribune - Adrian Trinidad and coach Joe Avila keep an eye open for an opportunity to steal a go-ahead run in the fourth inning. Didn’t need It. Raynor Beierle stroked a single through the hole at second base to drive in Trinidad and J.C. Worsham.
ROYAL CITY — The Royal High Knights took a big leap toward post-season baseball play Saturday by sweeping two tough SCAC East contests against River View.
It was a great day on the mound for the Jenks brothers and Corbin Christensen. They paved the way for 4-1 and 4-3 victories.
At the plate, the first-game hero was Raynor Beierle. Addin Felker was the hitting hero in the second game.
Kaden Jenks pitched the first game, and his fastball was working for more than two strikeouts per inning. He allowed one hit in six innings and struck out 14 batters.
Juan Niebla took the ball in the seventh inning and shut the door, picking up a save.
The game turned in the bottom of the fourth inning. Adrian Trinidad fouled a pitch right by coach Joe Avila’s feet in the third base coaching box, then stroked the next pitch for a hit.
One out later, with Trinidad at third and J.C. Worsham at second, after a Worsham bunt single, Raynor Beierle drilled a low liner through the hole at second to put the Knights ahead for good, 3-1. Beierle drove in Royal’s first run in the second to tie the score at 1-1-1.
Beierle went 2-for-3 with two singles and three RBI. J.C. Worsham singled, walked and scored a run. Adrian Trinidad singled and scored a run, while Juan Niebla and Sawyer Jenks each added singles.
“Raynor came up big for us at the plate,” Avila said. “Two at-bats with runners in scoring position, and he got it done, driving in three.”
“Kaden threw the ball well,” Avila added. “Around the zone all day, and the punch-outs show it. It was good baseball all around.”
The second game was an even tougher proposition. It was settled in the bottom of the eighth with a fly ball to right field that fell in for an RBI single.
Kaden Jenks was on second base after lacing a double. Addin Felker lifted the fly ball to right that appeared destined for a fielder’s glove, but it found grass, and Jenks ran around third with the walkoff run.
Sawyer Jenks got the start in this game and pitched five solid innings, giving up four hits and striking out six hitters. Corbin Christensen pitched the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to pick up the win in relief.
At the plate, Carter Dorsing doubled with an RBI. Felker singled and had two RBI. Kaden Jenks doubled, had an RBI and scored a run. Trinidad singled and scored two runs. J.C. Worsham singled, walked and scored a run. Sawyer Jenks and Juan Niebla each added singles.
Sawyer Jenks and the Knights were on the ropes after five and a half innings, trailing 3-2. But in the sixth inning Carter Dorsing doubled with two outs to drive in Adrian Trinidad to tie the game at 3-3.
Christensen set up the winning scene with tough relief in the seventh and eighth innings.
“What a game,” an exhausted Avila said. “Sawyer did a great job keeping us in the ball game. The kid works his tail off, and you can’t ask for much more than what he’s done in his first two starts. Corbin was great in relief, throwing strikes and keeping them off the scoreboard to give us a shot.”
“Carter’s double was huge. He came up in a big spot and delivered when we needed it most,” Avila added. “Adrian does a great job of putting the ball in play, and that is exactly what he did to win it in the eighth.”
“It was fun to watch the boys walk off,” Avila said. “Overall, it was great day at the ballpark. “But we still have a ton of room to improve. So we’re looking forward to getting back to practice.”