Premier Royals take 3 of 4 on Holiday Weekend
The Save-On-Foods Parksville Royals were home for Canada Day weekend and managed three wins to go with the beautiful weather down at Springwood Park.
The boys in purple were in tough in Game 1 vs the visiting Coquitlam Reds. As the team struggled to get aboard against some great pitching, Kieran Bowles led the way going 2-for-2 with four stolen bases. Starter Shae Verral pitched seven complete innings, allowing seven runs, five earned, and took the loss as the Royals fell by a score of 7-1.
The Royals came out firing in Game 2, taking an early 2-0 lead into the 4th inning. Starter Jacob Volkers scattered 8 hits across 6 innings, allowing just 2 runs. The game was deadlocked at 2 heading into the bottom of the 6th and the Royals rallied for 6 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks to go up 8-2. Tim Holyk came on to shut the door in the 7th and collect the save. There was offense up and down the line-up with Kieran Bowles leading the way going 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored, an RBI, and double. Anson McGorman went 1 for 2 with a double, 2 RBI, 2 walks, and a stolen base and Tim Holyk chipped in with 2 RBI on a clutch 2-out single in the 6th. Final score Royals 8 and Coquitlam 2.
On Canada Day the Royals took on the Victoria Mariners and Brodie Comerford got the start. Comerford was on and the defence played well behind him. Comerford pitched the complete game going 7 innings, allowing 1 run and striking out 7 Victoria batters. He got all of the offensive support he’d need in the 1st inning as the boys in purple scored 3 runs. Connor Hall had a single, a run scored, and 2 stolen bases and Comerford helped his cause chipping in with a single and an RBI. Final score Royals 3 and Victoria 1.
The finale was a back-and-forth affair as the lead changed hands multiple times. Nolan Macdonald was first on the bump for Parksville, pitching 2 innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned. Carter Chard-Hill came on to throw 4 innings of 1-run ball to keep it close and the Royals trailed the Mariners by a score of 4-3 heading into the bottom of the 6th. In a repeat of Saturday’s game 2, the 6th inning was magic for Parksville. With one down, Trevor Nicoll lashed a single to right field and catcher Tyler Newby followed suit. One batter later with two aboard and two out, Connor Hall lined a single through the right side to score Nicoll and tie the game. Kieran Bowles was then intentionally walked to load the bases for left-fielder Nathan Lagos. Lagos made them pay as he crushed the second pitch he saw for a triple to deep left-center, scoring all three base-runners. Anson McGorman came on to pitch the seventh to collect the save. There was some outstanding defence in this game including two diving catches by Lagos in left field. Catcher Tyler Newby gunned down 2 runners including a clutch pick-off at third base with the Mariners threatening to put up a big number in the 2nd inning. Final score Royals 7 and Victoria 6.
Junior Royals take 2 of 4 on Holiday Weekend
The Save-On-Foods Parksville Junior Royals kicked off the Canada Day weekend with a double-header against the visiting Fraser Valley Cardinals.
Ellis Vugteveen threw the first two innings allowing 2 earned runs one hit and 4 walks, striking out 5. Nathan Underhill followed him with two innings of 4 run ball. Trevor Carter came on for the 5th and 6th, allowing 1 unearned run on 1 hit and Ethan Dean closed it out. The Royals jumped out to a large early lead scoring 4 in the 1st and then 4 more in the 3rd. Austin Walper, hitting 0.310 on the season to lead the team, keyed the offense going 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and a stolen base. Vugteveen banged in a double and 2 RBI and shortstop Cameron Bell chipped in with a single and 2 RBI of his own.
Cody Jackson scored what would turn out to be the winning the run with a daring straight steal of home in the bottom of the 6th. Jackson scored two runs on the day to go with 2 walks. Final score Royals 9 and Fraser Valley 8. In Game 2, the Royals ran into some great pitching and came out on the wrong end of an 11-0 final.
On Sunday Parksville hosted the Victoria Jr Mariners and the Royals sent their ace Ethan Dean to the mound.
Dean was dominant, throwing a complete game shut-out, allowing just 2 hits to go with 7 strike outs and 2 walks.
At the dish, the bats were in great shape scoring 9 runs against the beleaguered Victoria pitching staff. The big knock came in the first inning when Ellis Vugteveen took an 0-1 pitch deep over the fence in center field for a grand slam home run. Kevin Mulrooney helped power the offensive barrage going 2 for 2 with a walk and a run scored. Logan Campbell and Cameron Bell each contributed with a single and an RBI and Nathan Underhill went 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored. Final score Royals 9 and Victoria 0.
Trevor Carter got the start in the finale and worked 7 effective innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 5 hits with just 1 walk and 4 strike-outs. Unfortunately, the Royals bats couldn’t provide much in the way of run support. The boys managed 7 hits on the game but couldn’t cash in their opportunities.
Ethan Dean was 1 for 3 with a run scored and 2 stolen bases. Cameron Bell was 2 for 3 with the Royals only RBI. Final score Royals 1 and Victoria 3.
Bantam Royals Win 3 of 4
The Bantam Royals were in action over the long weekend to play a 4 game set versus the UBC Thunder.
The Royals were on the road Saturday, playing in Vancouver with Liam McNamee getting the nod in game 1. McNamee would work into the 4th inning before giving way to Keitaro Adachi. A back and forth game with the Royals scoring 3 in the first courtesy of a Carter Hall 3 run HR, but the Thunder would respond with 1 run in the 1st, 2 in the 2nd and 1 in the 3rd. The Royals offense would get back on track by putting up 5 more runs thanks to singles Owen Taylor, Breydan Riecker, Ryan Deagle and another big double from Hall. Deagle would come in and shut the door for the save to win game 1, 8-6.
Game 2, Riecker would take the mound and work into the 4th. The offense once again for the Royals was ready to go taking an early 3-0 lead in the first. Riecker would be effective until the 4th when the Thunder took the lead and then couldn’t be stopped, Royals drop game 2, 9-3
Back at home Sunday, Royals started with Tyler Kolopenuk who would work 4 effective innings.
The Royals would piggy back off of slugger Ryan Deagle who lead the offense with a solo HR in the first and a 3 run blast in the 4th to take a 4-0 lead. The Thunder chipped away at the lead until Rylan Baikie shut the door on the mound securing a 4-3 Royals win.
Game 4 of the weekend would be a slug fest. Royals would plate 7 runs in the 1st inning with big hits coming from Carter Hall, and Gareth MacDonald. The 5 run cushion would be nice for starter Breandan McLaughlin who would work 4 innings with Landon Bowers and Owen Taylor keeping the Thunder at bay. The Royals would add more runs with a 2 RBI triple from Hall before giving the ball to Deagle again to secure a 13-10 win.
Player of the weekend: Ryan Deagle. 2 HR, 7 hits. 2 Saves