Pitching/Defense Rule as Warriors Win Championship
 

After 8 weeks of rain and holiday fun, the Royals' 2014 season would finally wrap up with a championship game against the Warriors.  While neither team could muster much offense, the game was full of power pitching (a combined 20 strikeouts) and great defense, with the Warriors edging the Royals 3-2.

Dennis King III would take the mound for the Royals and work a quiet first.  The Royals would score quickly in their half of the inning.  Michael Nayhouse would lead off with a single, then after back-to-back walks to Daniel Sloan and Patrick Christopher to load the bases, Chris Powell would hit into an rbi-fielder's choice to plate one.  However, a botched double steal would run the Royals out of the inning, leading 1-0.

The Warriors would answer right away in the 2nd.  King would hit the first batter, and after a pair of wild pitches, a jam-shot single to center would tie the score.

All would be quiet until the top of the 5th, when the Warriors would score again.  After a leadoff single, a key stolen base, and another single, the Warriors were again on top, but not for long.

With 1 out in the bottom of the frame, Michael Schofield would single, but speedster Marshall Martin would ground into a fielder's choice.  Now with 2 outs, Michael Nayhouse would line a double to the wall in left center - his 3rd hit and 2nd double of the game - and the score would be tied once again.

But the Warriors would answer with one of their own in the 6th.  A leadoff single, hit by pitch, and another single would score one and put men on 2nd and 3rd.  The next batter would hit a potential sac-fly to center, but centerfielder Michael Nayhouse would throw a strike to catcher Patrick Christopher for a great double play.  Daniel Sloan would dive and catch a sinking liner in left to end the inning and keep it a 1-run game.

But unfortunately for the Royals, they couldn't capitalize on their defensive momentum.  Chris Powell would relieve King and pitch a scoreless final 2 innings, but the Warriors' pitching kept the Royals' offense from getting anything going, and they would eventually secure the championship.

Congrats to the Warriors on a great game - after these 2 teams combined for 19 runs in their first meeting, this game was quite the contrast.

Pitching

Dennis King - 7IP, 3ER, 8K, 7H, BB, 2HBP

Chris Powell - 2IP, 0ER, 2K, 2H, 2BB

Batting

Michael Nayhouse - 3-4, 2-2B, R, RBI

Marshall Martin - 1-3, R

Michael Schofield - 1-3

Ryan Elliott - 1-3

Daniel Sloan - 0-3, BB

Patrick Christopher - 0-3, BB

Chris Powell - 0-4, RBI

Jay Wasserman 0-2

Mike Miller - 0-3

Stephan Ohayon - 0-4

Royals Split Weekend Doubleheader
 

The Royals and Platoon started things off Saturday morning, with both squads short-staffed and playing for playoff positioning.

The Royals would send veteran Mike Miller to the mound, and the right hander do his job keeping the boys in baby blue in the game.  MIller would throw 6 innings, allowing only 7 hits for 3 earned run (only 1 earned through the first 5 innings), striking out 4.

But the Platoon pitching would keep the Royals off balance all day, allowing only 3 total runs.  Michael Nayhouse, Daniel Sloan and Jason Bolding would each get 2 hits in the loss, and Miller would knock in the only rbi on the day (the other 2 runs came in on errors or double play balls.)

Sunday, the Royals and Team Easton would square off, again, both short-squaded (is that even a word?)  The Royals would turn to staff ace Dennis King III, and he would send the Royals to the playoffs on a solid complete game victory, striking out 7 while allowing 3 earned run on 9 hits.

Offensively, Daniel Sloan led the way, getting 4 hits including a deep home run to right.  Ryan Elliott chipped in a pair of doubles, and Marshal Martin had his first multi-hit game of the season with 2 singles of his own.  The win eliminated the rival Team Easton squad, having a rare off-year after dominating the division over the summer.

Pitching - Game 1

Mike Miller - L, 6IP, 3ER, 7H, 4H, 2BB

Michael Nayhouse - 3IP, 4ER, 5H, 2K, 2BB

Pitching - Game 2

Dennis King III - W, CG, 9IP, 3ER, 9H, 7K, 3BB, HBP

Batting - Both Games

Michael Nayhouse - 2-4, 2B, R, BB

Daniel Sloan - 6-9, HR, 3R, 2RBI

Jason Bolding - 2-8, R, RBI, SACF

Stephan Ohayon - 2-6, 3R,3 BB

Mike Miller - 2-8, 2RBI, HBP

Ryan Elliott - 3-8, 2-2B, 3R, 3RBI, HBP, SB

Marshall Martin - 3-9

Patrick Christopher - 0-5

Dennis King III - 0-5, RBI

Black Sox Down Royals
 

The Royals offense consistently put up runs against the Black Sox, but one long, sloppy inning in the field would cost them the win.

Dennis King III would throw 3.2 innings, keeping the game close into the 4th before the Black Sox bats and Royals' gloves would put the game out of reach.  The Royals bullpen combination of Michael Schofield and Martin Marshall would work 4 scoreless innings of relief, but the damage was already done.

The Royals would get big days at the plate from Michael Nayhouse (3 hits including a home run, falling a triple short of the cycle, Patrick Chistopher and Ryan Elliott (3 hits each), and Mike Miller (2 hits, 2 runs scored.)

Pitching

Dennis King III - L, 3.2IP, 10ER, 8H, 2K, 4BB, 3HBP

Ryan Schappery - .1IP, 2ER, 3H, BB, HBP

Michael Schofield - 3IP, 0ER, H, BB

Marshall Martin - IP, 0ER, K

Batting

Michael Nayhouse - 3-4, HR, 2B, 2R, RBI, BB

Patrick Christopher - 3-4, R, 2RBI, BB

Ryan Elliott - 3-5, R, RBI

Mike Miller - 2-4, 2B, 2R, RBI, BB

Ryan Schappery - 1-4, 2B, 2RBI, HBP

Jay Wasserman - 1-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB

Jason Bolding - 1-4, 2B, R, RBI, HBP

Michael Schofield - 1-2, 2R, 2BB

Marshall Martin - 1-3, R, RBI, SACF

Royals Fall to Shock & Awesome
 

The Royals and Shock played a close game all day, with the Royals coming up just short in yet another late-inning rally, falling to Shock & Awesome 15-12.

Michael Nayhouse and Patrick Christopher would start the game with back-to-back hits, but be stranded in the first.

Dennis King III would take the mound for the Royals, but the weather wouldn't be his friend on Sunday, contributing to 2 sun-aided errors over his first 2 innings and 5 unearned runs.  Heading into the 3rd, Shock would hold a 6-0 lead.

Stephan Ohayon would lead off with a double, moving to 3rd on a productive Mike Miller ground-out to the right side.  Ryan Elliott would bring him home with an error to short, putting the Royals on the board.  But Shock would score 3 in the bottom of the inning, chasing King and bringing in Dave Neal.  Neal would get out of the inning with a single pitch, and the Royal bats would respond.

WIth 1 out, Ryan Schappery would single and move to 3rd when Michael Nayhouse doubled to the wall in left.  Patrick Christopher would walk to load the bases, and Stephan Ohayon would single home a pair.  Mike Miller and Jay Wasserman would each follow with rbis of their own (with Wasserman stealing a bag along the way), and the Royals would trail 9-5.

In the top of the 5th, Jason Bolding would lead off with a single and move to second after Ryan Schappery took one for the team.  Several wild pitches would score the pair, and the Royals would trail 9-7.

But Shock would keep the pressure on, scoring 3 more times in the bottom of the inning to stretch their lead to 12-7.

Back come the Royals in the 6th.  Mike Miller would lead off with a single to deep right center (probably should have been a double if he weren't so tired (and old) from all the bouncy house obstacle course races at his kids' birthday party on Saturday.)  Ryan Elliott would single him into scoring position, and Jason Bolding would cash him in with a fielder's choice.  But again, Shock would answer with 3 more runs, this time off reliever Michael Nayhouse, to give them a 15-8 lead.

Heading into the top of the 7th, the Royals knew that time was running out.  So they did what they always do - put up a pile of runs in their final at bat.  Ryan Schappery would lead off with a double - his 3rd hit of the day.  One out later, MIchael Nayhouse, Patrick Christopher and Stephan Ohayon would get back-to-back-to-back singles to plate 2 runs.  With 2 outs, Jay Wasserman would single home another pair, but Shock's defense would settle down and quash the rally right there, with a final score of 15-12.

This was a great game played by both teams, and if you take away all of the sun-aided hits/errors that both teams received, one that should have had a much more respectable score.  Good luck the rest of the way to Shock & Awesome!

Pitching

Dennis King III - L, 2.2IP, 4ER, 10H, 5K, 3BB

Dave Neal - 2.1IP, 3ER, 4H, HBP

Michael Nayhouse - IP, 2ER, 2H, 2K, 2BB

Batting

Ryan Schappery - 3-3, 2B, 3R, HBP

Stephan Ohayon - 3-5, 2B, 3R, 3RBI

Michael Nayhouse - 3-5, 2B, 2R, RBI

Patrick Christopher - 2-3, 2R, 2BB

Mike Miller - 2-5, R, RBI

Ryan Elliott - 2-5

Jason Bolding - 1-4, R, 2SB

Jay Wasserman - 1-5, 3RBI, SB (seriously)

Michael Schofield - 0-3, BB

Dennis King III - 0-1

Royals Quiet vs Redbirds
 

The Royals offense was finally subdued on Sunday, as the Redbirds kept them to 2 runs on 7 hits - quite a difference from the 14+ runs on 19+ hits the Royals have averaged over their first 3 games of the season.

Chris Powell took the mound for the short-handed Royals, and the Redbirds put up all the offense they'd need over the first 2 innings.  8 ground ball singles plus 1 line drive single would account for 5 runs, and they'd never look back.  Powell would recover to go 6 innings, allowing only 5 earned in the span.  Dennis King III would come in and allow his first 2 batters to score, but work 3 strong innings after that - allowing only those 2 runs.

The Royals would finally get on the board in the 4th inning.  Trailing by 5, Armando Mesa would reach with a 1-out walk.  Jerry Medueno would single him to 3rd, and Chris Powell would knock in the rbi.

In the 7th, now trailing 10-1, Powell would reach on a leadoff single.  Pinch runner Medueno would swipe second and score on a Jay Wasserman single.

The Redbirds would work a quiet 8th and 9th to put the game on ice and lock up first place, with the Royals falling all the way to 4th.

Pitching

Chris Powel - L, 6IP, 5ER, 12H, 5K, 2BB

Dennis King III - 3IP, 2ER, 3H, K, 2BB

Batting

Jerry Medueno - 2-4, R, SB

Chris Powell - 3-4, R, RBI

Armando Mesa - 1-3, R, BB

Jay Wasserman - 1-3, RBI

Patrick Christopher - 1-3

Marshall Martin - 0-3

Ryan Elliott - 0-3

Michael Schofield - 0-3

Jason Bolding - 0-3

Mike Miller - 0-4

Royals Rally in 9th AGAIN, Down Warriors
 

It's deja vu all over again for the Royals, as they are forced to rally in their last at bat for the 3rd straight game, coming up with an 11-8 victory over the Warriors.  Every Royal batter had a hit, and the team improved its season batting average to .433, scoring an amazing 43 runs in 3 games played.

Leadoff man Armando Mesa started the game with a single, swiping second a few pitches later.  With 2 outs, Mike Miller launched a double over the left fielder's head to plate Mesa, and Jay Wasserman would single home Miller to give the Royals a 2-0 lead.

Akash Shah would take the mound for the first time this season and work a quiet first inning.  The offense would rise again in the 2nd.  Ryan Elliott would single and move to second on a passed ball.  Patrick Christopher would single him home, and move to 3rd on a Michael Schofield single.  Armando Mesa would triple home both runners, and score on a Stephan Ohayon ground out to give the Royals a 6-0 lead.

The Warriors would get 1 back in the bottom of the 2nd, and 2 more in the 3rd to cut the lead to 6-3.  Josh Miranda would come in and pitch a quiet 4th.

Leading off the top of the 5th, Jason Bolding and Armando Mesa would reach on back-to-back singles.  Stephan Ohayon would hit a sac fly to plate one, and Chris Powell would double to plate another, giving the Royals an 8-3 lead.

The Warriors would get 1 off Miranda in the bottom of the 5th, and tie things up against flamethrower Dennis King III in the bottom of the 6th.  King would settle down and work through a few quiet innings, but so would the Royals offense, taking an 8-8 game into the 9th with time running out.

With 1 out in the 9th, Marshall Martin and Ryan Elliott would each single, and Patrick Christopher would walk to load the bases.  Michael Schofield would hit a sac fly to plate one and give the Royals the lead (and a second run would score on a bad throw.)  Jason Bolding would then reach on an error, plating another run and giving the Royals a 3-run lead.  King would make that hold up in the 9th, and the Royals would escape with yet another late-inning miracle.

Congrats to the Warriors - always a tough opponent, especially with the addition of some big bats from the Brooklyn Bums.  Good luck the rest of the way.

Pitching

Akash Shah - 3IP, 3ER, 6H, 3K, BB, HBP

Josh Miranda - 2IP, ER, 2H, K

Dennis King III - W, 4IP, 4ER, 5H, K, BB, HBP

Batting

Armando Mesa - 3-5, 3B, 3R, 2RBI, 2SB

Chris Powell - 2-4, 2B, RBI

Ryan Elliott - 2-4, 2R

Jason Bolding - 2-4, R

Patrick Christopher 1-2, 2R, RBI, 2BB

Stephan Ohayon - 1-3, 2RBI, SACF

Michael Schofield - 1-3, R, RBI, SACF

Mike Miller - 1-4, 2B, R, RBI

Jay Wasserman - 1-4, RBI

Daniel Sloan - 1-4

Marshall Martin - 1-4, R

Royals Rally in 9th, Down Warhawks
 

The Royals continue to score runs, but unfortunately, they refuse to stop other teams from doing the same.  Coming back from an 11-3 deficit, the Royals would tie the game in the 7th, only to find themselves trailing by 4 again in their final at bat.  But the boys in baby blue would bat around in the 9th, plating 8 and notching their first victory of the season, 20-17, against a relentless Warhawk squad.

After 2 quick outs in the top of the 1st, Michael Nayhouse would single and Chris Powell would walk.  Mike Miller would ground to shortstop, but his "speed" would confuse the defense, and a bad throw would plate 1.  Stephan Ohayan would follow suit, with another run scoring on a second error.  A pick off/pickle between first and second would allow a 3rd run to score, and the Royals would hold an early 3-0 lead.

Chris Powell would take the mound, but the Warhawks looked like they knew what he was throwing before he did!  7 hits and a walk in the first would lead to 8 runs, and 4 more hits in the second would chase Powell from the game, trailing 11-3.

Dennis King III would come in and work a quiet 3rd inning for the Royals.

Moving ahead to the top of the 4th, the Royals offense would get back on track.  Mike Miller would smash a single to the 5-6 hole, and Stephan Ohayan would line a single to center.  Jay Wasserman would reach on an error, and Ryan Elliott would single home a pair.  Patrick Christopher would single to load the bases, and after 2 quick outs, Armando Mesa would single home one, and Sean Spires would single home a pair.  After 4 full innings, the Royals would trail 11-9.

Leading off the top of the 5th, Chris Powell and Mike Miller would reach on back-to-back singles.  One out later, Jay Wasserman would knock in 1 with a single of his own, and the Royals would trail 10-9.

In the bottom of the 6th, the Warhawks would finally get a run off King, making it an 11-9 lead, but the Royals would answer right back.  Michael Nayhouse would lead off with a triple down the right field line, and score on a deep Chris Powell double to right center.  After designated runner Sean Spires would move to 3rd on a stolen base, Stephan Ohayan would hit a sac fly to right to tie the game at 11.

In the bottom of the 8th, the Warhawks would put men on first and second with 1 out, and the Royals would go to lefty specialist Jay Wasserman.  But a Texas-leaguer, followed by a hard single to the right-center gap (among other things) would lead to 4 runs and a 15-11 lead for the Warhawks.

Now in the top of the 9th, and with the Royals on the brink of their first loss, the offense would step up in a big way.  Armando Mesa would lead off with a single and swipe second.  Sean Spires would walk (I KNOW - it was strange to even type those words), and Michael Nayhouse would reach on a fielder's choice - with the runner at third being tagged out.  Chris Powell would single home 1, and Mike Miller would single to load the bases.  Stephan Ohayan would single home a pair, moving MIller (the tying run) into scoring position.  On the second pitch he saw, Jay Wasserman would line a 2-run double down the left field line to give the Royals the lead.  Ryan Elliott would follow with an rbi-single of his own, scoring on a Patrick Christopher double off the left-center field wall.  Designated runner Armando Mesa would score a few pitches later on a passed ball, giving the Royals a 20-16 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th.

The Warhawks bats were still hot, and they wouldn't go quietly (especially paired with 2 Royal errors.)  But in the end, Wasserman was able to close the door on the Warhawk offense, and the Royals would barely escape with a 20-17 victory.

Great job by the Warhawks - they are much improved from last summer, and look to be a force even in this combined fall division.  Good luck the rest of the way!

Pitching

Chris Powell - 2IP, 9ER, 11H, K, BB

Dennis King III - 5.1IP, 2ER, 3H, 2K, 4BB, 3HBP

Jay Wasserman - W, 1.2IP, ER, 3H, K

Batting

Patrick Christopher - 4-5, 2-2B, 2R, RBI

Chris Powell - 3-4, 2B, 4R, 2RBI, BB

Armando Mesa - 3-5, 2B, R, RBI, 2SB

Michael Nayhouse - 3-5, 3B, 3R

Ryan Elliott - 3-5, 2R, 3RBI

Mike Miller - 3-5, 3R

Stephan Ohayon - 2-4, 2R, 3RBI, SACF

Jay Wasserman - 2-5, 2B, 2R, 3RBI

Sean Spires - 1-4, R, 2RBI, BB, 2SB

Michael Schofield - 1-5

Jason Bolding - 0-5

Royals Start Season with Tie

The Royals started the fall season with a late inning rally.  Trailing 12-9 with no one on and 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, the Royals put up 3 runs to end up with a tie against Team Easton.

Chris Powell took the hill and worked a quiet first inning.  Armando Mesa led off the bottom of the inning with a double to shallow left.  One out later, Powell would double him home to give the Royals a 1-0 lead.

Easton would score 3 over the next 2 innings to take a 3-1 lead, but the Royals would respond in the 3rd.  With one out, Mesa would walk, and Michael Nayhouse would take an 0-2 fastball and drive it out of left for a game-tying home run.

Easton would put up 2 more in the 4th, but the see-saw battle would continue in the bottom of the inning.  Stephan Ohayon would double for  his first hit as a Royal and score one pitch later on Marshall Martin's first hit as a Royal.

But Easton would respond right away with 3 runs in the top of the 5th.  The Royals would immediately answer back.  Jason Bolding and Armando Mesa would lead off with back-to-back doubles, and Mike Miller would cash in both runners with a 2-out single to left, making the score 8-6 after 5 in the books.

Ryan Schappery would enter the game for the Royals and give up 2 runs over his first 2 innings.  In the bottom of the 7th, the Royals would get back into the game.  Patrick Christopher would single (first hit as a Royal), and after a pair of fielder's choices and an Armando Mesa single, Michael Nayhouse would single home one, and Chris Powell would single home a pair, making it a 10-9 game (advantage Easton) after 7.

Easton would put up 1 more in the 8th, and another in the 9th against reliever Mike Miller.  Marshall Martin would be called in with the bases loaded and 2 outs to end the rally (which he did with a strikeout), but the Royals would trail 12-9 heading into the bottom of the 9th.

Pop ups from the first 2 batters would leave the Royals with only the smallest of hopes, but 10-hitter Ryan Schappery would line a single into right.  Armando Mesa would leg out an infield single (his 4th hit of the game), and a run would score on Michael Nayhouse's 3rd hit of the game.  WIth men on 1st and 3rd and 2 outs, Chris Powell would hit a fly ball to the warning track in center, but the center fielder would drop the ball, and both runners would score, tying the game.  The next batter would ground out to end the game, and both teams would look forward to their next meeting - the last weekend of the fall season!

Congrats to Team Easton - in 2 games against each other, the total score is 29-28 in favor of Easton.  It looks like the last week of the regular season will be yet another stat padding game for both squads!

Pitching

Chris Powell - 5IP, 6ER, 6K, 11H, 2BB, 2 pick offs(!!!)

Ryan Schappery - 3IP, 2ER, 3K, 8H

Mike Miller - .2IP, ER, H, BB, 2HBP

Marshall Martin - .1IP, K

Batting

Armando Mesa - 4-4, 2 2B, 5R, BB

Michael Nayhouse - 3-5, HR, 3R, 4RBI

Chris Powell - 2-5, 2B, 3RBI

Stephan Ohayon - 2-4, 2B, R

Mike Miller - 1-5, 2RBI

Marshall Martin - 1-4, RBI

Ryan Elliott - 1-4

Patrick Christopher - 1-4

Jason Bolding - 1-3, 2B, 2R

Ryan Schappery - 1-2, R

Robert Padilla - 0-1