After 2 straight Fall championships, the defense and hitting this season weren't quite as strong and led to an early postseason exit.  We'll definitely look to retool in the Spring.   Congrats go out to team MVP Stephan Ohayon (team leading 11 hits, .536 SLG, 4 doubles, 10 rbis and 7 walks) and team Cy Young Randy Casey Jr (team leading 1 win, 32 innings pitched, 39 strikeouts, 4.78 ERA, and 1 save.)  Team leaders also included Ryan Elliott (.450 batting average, .593 OBP, 1 save), Jason Bolding (9 runs, 7 stolen bases), and Mike Miller (11 hits, 1.53 WHIP.)

 

Royals Championship Streak Ends at 2

 

 

After winning the past 2 fall championships, the Royals streak ended this year as they fell 2-1 to the Berserkers.  Even with their best pitching performance of the year, their bats were silent all afternoon and their defense (the teams' Achilles heel this year) failed them in the loss.

 

With 1 out in the top of the first, Ryan Elliott narrowly missed a home run, settling for a double.  But that was all the Royals' offense could muster in the inning. 

 

Randy Casey Jr took the hill for the boys in royal blue, and worked around a pair of hit batsmen in the first to keep the score at 0-0.

 

Aside from a Michael LaCafta single in the 3rd and a Mike Miller walk in the 4th, the Royals couldn't get anyone on base.  The Berserkers put together a rally in the bottom of the 3rd, loading the bases with 2 outs, but Casey Jr struck out the 3-hitter to end the threat.

 

The Royals threatened in the top of the 5th.  Michael Schofield singled, and Jay Wasserman reached on a fielder's choice/error, putting 2 men on with 1 out, but a hard hit double play ball ended the threat.

 

The Royals struck first blood in the top of the 5th.  With 1 out, Joey Gerber walked and Ryan Elliott singled him to third, then swiped second himself.  Gerber scored on a Stephan Ohayon ground out, and the Royals took a 1-0 lead. 

 

With a man on and 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th, Casey Jr hit his 4th batsman of the game, forcing the Royals to go to their bullpen.  Mike Miller answered the call and induced a ground out to get out of the inning, preserving the 1-0 lead.

 

In the top of the 7th, Connor Chambers reached on a 1-out single, but was quickly erased on another double play ground ball.

 

In the bottom of the 7th, the Royals shaky defense cost them.  WIth 1 out, a routine fly ball to right was dropped for a 2 base error.  After a ground out moved the runner to 3rd with 2 outs, a ground ball to 3rd was dropped, and a high throw to first pulled the first baseman and tied the game 1-1.

 

The Royals weren't done yet, and threatened again in the 8th.  With 2 outs, Michael LaCafta singled and Joey Gerber walked, but both runners were stranded.

 

Fast forward to the bottom of the 9th.  With the score tied and 1 out, a hit by pitch put the potential winning run on first.  A sac bunt moved him to second.  Still without allowing a hit, Miller induced a fly ball to left, potentially sending the game into extra innings, but the left fielder misplayed the ball and slipped trying to recover, plating the winning run in walk-off fashion.

 

Congratulations to the Berserkers on a great season and an amazing playoff game.  We owe you next time!

 

 

Pitching

Randy Casey Jr - 5.2IP, 0R, 4H, BB, 5K, 4HBP

Mike Miller - L, 3.1IP, 0ER (2R), 0H, K, HBP

 

Batting

Ryan Elliott - 2-4, 2B

Michael LaCafta - 2-3, SB

Connor Chambers - 1-3

Michael Schofield - 1-3

Joey Gerber - 0-2, R, 2BB

Mike Miller - 0-3, BB

Jay Wasserman - 0-3

Daniel Kahn - 0-3

Stephan Ohayon - 0-4, RBI

Randy Casey Jr - 0-4

Justin "Juice" Born - 0-0

Short-Handed Royals Fall to Crooks

 

The Royals early season woes continued, as the team was missing 4 starting fielders in an 18-5 loss to the Crooks.

 

Randy Casey Jr started for the Royals, but was met with immediate trouble.  A single and a fielder's choice set the stage, and a triple cashed in both runs in the bottom of the first.  A perfectly run hidden-ball trick slowed the Crooks' momentum temporarily, but another run in the second, third, and 3 in the fourth chased Casey Jr from the game trailing 7-0.

 

In the top of the 5th, Casey Jr singled to break up the Crooks' no-no, but a double play kept the score intact.

 

Michael Schofield took over in the bottom of the inning, and was greeted by 3 runs on 4 hits, with Daniel Kahn's outfield assist limiting the damage to that.

 

Finally, in the top of the 6th, the Royals' bats awoke from their 11-inning scoreless slumber.  Schofield led off with a single, and the red-hot Vivek Sarabu followed with a single of his own.  After Justin "Juice" Born reached on a fielder's choice, Jason Bolding singled home Schofield to put the Royals on the board.  Stephan Ohayon walked, and Rick Valdez grounded out, plating Born.  Now with 2 outs, Mike Miller grounded a ball up the middle to bring home Bolding and Ohayon.  Randy Casey Jr singled and swiped second, but that was all the Royals would put up in the 6th, now trailing just 10-4.  

 

The Crooks answered right back with 3 in the 7th and 4 in the 8th, extending their lead to 17-4, but the Royals weren't through yet.  Justin "Juice" Born laced a single to left, and took second on a wild pitch.  Jason Bolding grounded out, moving Born to third, and Stephan Ohayon singled him home, cutting the lead to 17-5.

 

But again, the Crooks answered back.  With Rick Valdez now on the mound, the Crooks plated their final run on the day, and finished the Royals off 18-5.

 

 

Pitching

Randy Casey Jr - L, 4IP, 7R (5ER), 8H, 6K, 2BB

Michael Schofield - 3IP, 10R (6ER), 10H, 3K, 3BB

Rick Valdez - IP, 1R (1ER), H, 2BB

 

Batting

Randy Casey Jr - 2-4, SB

Stephan Ohayon - 1-2, R, RBI, 2BB

Jason Bolding - 1-4, R, RBI

Mike Miller - 1-4, 2RBI

Justin "Juice" Born - 1-3, 2R

Michael Schofield - 1-3, R

Vivek Sarabu - 1-3

Rick Valdez - 0-4, RBI

Jay Wasserman - 0-4

Daniel Kahn - 0-4

Royals Don't Show Up vs Lookouts

 

The past 2 years, the Lookouts and Royals have split up their games, with the Lookouts sweeping the regular season and the Royals sweeping the postseason.  This year (so far) was more of the same, as the Lookouts offense scored early and often, while the Royals offense stayed home.

 

Short-staffed for the day, the Royals turned to veteran Mike Miller to take the mound.  But a hit batsman, wild pitch and a sacrifice fly put the Royals in an early 1-0 hole.

 

Leading off the bottom of the 1st, Jason Bolding singled and Ric Valdez walked.  Stephan Ohayon narrowly missed a home run, settling for an rbi-double, and Mike Miller walked to load the bases with nobody out.  But the Lookouts battled back to limit the damage to one run, and after 1 inning, the score was 1-1.

 

Miller worked a quiet second, but the Lookouts plated another run in the 3rd on a pair of singles and a sac fly to take a 2-0 lead.

 

In the top of the 4th, the Lookouts put men on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs, but a ground ball to 3rd kept the inning alive when the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag.  A double and a single plated 3 unearned runs and gave the Lookouts a 5-1 lead.

 

Randy Casey Jr took the mound for the Royals in the 5th and worked a quiet inning before the Lookouts offense came through again in the 6th.  A hit batsman, a single and 2 fielder's choices plated another run, giving the Lookouts a 6-1 lead.  And in the top of the 7th, the wheels really fell off the bus, as the Lookouts scored 7 runs on 6 hits, a hit batsman and 2 errors to take a 13-1 lead.

 

If you're wondering why I haven't mentioned anything about the Royals' offense after the first inning, that's because there wasn't much.  In the 3rd, Phillip Gerber reached on an error and Ric Valdez singled.  In the 5th, Jay Wasserman walked, and in the 7th, Mike Miller reached on an error.  And that was it.

 

In the end, the Lookouts earned the win 13-1.  Only time will tell if these two squads will face each other in a 3rd straight championship game...

 

 

Pitching

Mike Miller - L, 4IP, 5R (2ER), 6H, BB, 2K, HBP

Randy Casey Jr - 3IP, 8R (6ER), 7H, BB, K, 2HBP

 

Batting

 

Jason Bolding - 1-3, R, SB, CS

Stephan Ohayon - 1-3, 2B, RBI

Ric Valdez - 1-2, BB

Jay Wasserman - 0-1, BB

Mike Miller - 0-2, BB

Randy Casey Jr - 0-2

Manoj Chitabathina - 0-2

Justin "Juice" Born - 0-2

Phillip Gerber - 0-2

Michael LaCafta - 0-3

Daniel Kahn - 0-3

 

Royals Start Fall 10-7 Over Warriors

 

While Spring titles have proven elusive to the Royals, the took the field Sunday ready to #defendTheCrown after winning the past 2 Fall AA championships.  The Warriors (one of the many teams who've beaten the Royals in a championship game) were their first challenge.

 

2017 Spring AAA MVP Marcel Patterson Jr led off the game with a hit on the first pitch he saw.  Jason Bolding singled on the very next pitch, and Stephan Ohayon flew out to center.  Patterson Jr moved to third and scored when the throw sailed into the Warriors dugout.  Ryan Elliott singled home Bolding to give the Royals a 2-0 lead, in the process moving into a tie for 5th most hits as a Royal with BIG number 200!

 

Michael Schofield struck out the side in the first, and the offense came up big in the top of the 2nd.  Phillip Gerber singled, and Randy Casey Jr doubled him to third.  Vivek Sarabu lined a single down the right field line to plate the pair, and increase the Royals' lead to 4-0.

 

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Warriors' bats woke up, plating 2 runs on a double and 3 errors, but the Royals answered right back.  Phillip Gerber walked, and Randy Casey Jr and Vivek Sarabu singled to load the bases.  Marcel Patterson Jr hit a sac fly to left to plate Gerber, and the Royals led 5-2.

 

But the Warriors came back in the bottom of the frame, plating 4 runs and taking a 6-5 lead.  Not to be outdone, the Royals continued the see-saw battle.  With 1 out, Ryan Elliott and Mike Miller reached on back-to-back singles.  Michael LaCafta hit a ground ball to short that went through the shortstops legs, and Elliott scored to tie the game.  Unfortunately, this was a costly run, as Elliott went down hard as he crossed the plate with an ankle injury (x-rays were negative, but an MRI is being scheduled soon.)  Daniel Kahn singled home both Mikes, and with 2 outs, pinch hitter Manoj Chitabathina reached on an error to bring home Kahn.  At the halfway mark, the Royals led 9-6.

 

Schofield worked a quiet bottom of the 5th, and the Royals were back at it in the 6th.  Vivek Sarabu walked, and with one out, Jason Bolding singled.  Stephan Ohayon was intentionally walked to load the bases, and pinch hitter Michael Schofield was unintentionally walked to plate Sarabu and extend the Royals lead to 10-6.

 

At this point, the Royals went to their bullpen and brought out Randy Casey Jr, who worked around some shoddy defense to allow only 1 run over the final 4 frames and lock down the victory.

 

Congrats to the Warriors on a much-improved look over last season.  We'll see you guys in the playoffs!  And finally, congrats go out to Ryan Elliott on getting his 200th and 201st hits, joining Mike Miller (330), Matt Graham (227), Ben Fiandaca (210) and Richard Lizarraga (200) as the only members of the elite 200-hit club in franchise history!

 

 

Pitching

 

Michael Schofield - W, 5IP, 6R (4ER), 5H, 2BB, 5K

Randy Casey Jr - S, 4IP, 1R (1ER), 7H, 1BB, 3K

 

Batting

Randy Casey Jr - 3-4, 2-2B, R

Jason Bolding - 2-5, R, SB

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

Mike Miller - 2-4, R, BB

Vivek Sarabu - 2-3, R, 2RBI, BB

Marcel Patterson Jr - 1-3, R, RBI, SACF

Stephan Ohayon - 1-4, BB, SB

Michael LaCafta - 1-5, R

Daniel Kahn - 1-4, R, 2RBI

Jay Wasserman - 1-4

Phillip Gerber - 1-1, 2R, BB

Michael Schofield - 0-1, RBI, BB

Manoj Chitabathina - 0-2, SB

All good things must come to an end, and after 3 straight championship game appearances (and 2 trophies), the Royals failed to even have a winning record, finishing the Spring 6-13 and knocked out in the first round.

 

If you're in town for the Fall 2017 opening day game (10am 9/10/2017 at San Fernando High School), come see Marcel Patterson Jr receive his plaque for winning the 2017 AAA MVP award - just the second Royal in 15 years to claim the award!  Be there a few minutes before game time (around the same time Marcel shows up) for the festivities!!!

 

Congratulations go out to All-Stars Marcel Patterson Jr (AAA-division MVP, team leading 27 runs, 26 hits,1 home run, 11 walks and 23 stole bases) and Kyle Tillack (team leading .434 average, 8 doubles, 5 triples and 16 rbis.)  Other stat leaders included Rick Valdez (1 home run), Mike Miller (16 rbis), Ryan Elliott (3 hit by pitches and 2 sacrifices), and Randy Casey Jr (33.1 innings pitched and 26 strikeouts.)  Good luck to Jake Romo and Kyle Tillack as they move on to the Arizona desert (UofA and ASU respectively) - we'll hold a roster spot for you when you come back!

Royals Swept in Playoffs

 

After a tough regular season, the Royals entered the playoffs as the #7 seed, taking on the #2 Regulators in a 3-game series.  Having lost both regular season meetings, this didn't bode well for the boys in royal blue.

 

Game 1 featured Randy Casey Jr on the mound for the Royals. The Regulators got to him early, scoring 4 in the 2nd and 3 more in the 4th, taking an early 7-0 lead.

 

The Royals' bats woke up in the top of the 5th, as Ryan Elliott led off getting plunked, Michael LaCafta walked, and Daniel Kahn reached on a fielder's choice.  Jake Romo grounded out to plate LaCafta, and Marcel Patterson Jr reached on an error, allowing Kahn to score.

 

In the top of the 6th, Chris Dyer singled and took second on a passed ball.  Mike Miller's 1-out ground out brought home Dyer and cut the lead to 7-3.  But that was as close as the Royals would come, and the Regulators put up 4 late runs to clinch game 1 11-3.  Casey Jr went the whole way, allowing 10 hits and 6 walks while striking out 2.

 

Game 2 was the Chris Dyer show.  Normally the closer, Dyer wanted the ball after hearing a little too much talk about his eligibility in game 1.  The Regulators put up 2 quick runs against him in the first before the Royals came to the plate.

 

In the bottom of the first, Dyer reached on a 1-out error and moved to 3rd on Jason Bolding's single.  Mike Miller walked to load the bases, and Ryan Elliott singled home Dyer.  Daniel Kahn brought home 2 more on an error, and the Royals led 3-2.

 

Both pitchers went on cruise control for a few innings, with the score still 3-2 heading into the bottom of the 6th.  With 1 out, Jason Bolding reached on an error, and Mike Miller followed with a single into left center.  Ryan Elliott doubled home Bolding, and Daniel Kahn singled home both Miller and Elliott.  After 6 innings, the Royals led 6-2.

 

Unfortunately, the wheels fell off the bus at this point.  After Dyer recorded 2 outs on 4 pitches in the top of the 7th, an astounding 15 straight batters reached base before the 3rd out was recorded, and the Regulators took a 14-6 lead. 

 

The Royals weren't ready to throw in the towel, as the bottom of the lineup came up big.  Jake Romo walked and swiped 2 bags.  Pinch hitter Phillip Gerber walked, and Marcel Patterson Jr singled home Romo.  Both Gerber and Patterson Jr scored on errant throws, and the Royals cut the lead to 14-9.

 

Jake Romo came in for the 8th, but was met with more offense as the Regulators put up 5 more runs to drive the final nails in the Royals' season.  The game ended after 8 innings (and more than 3 hours), with the Regulators moving on 19-9.

 

 

Pitching

Game 1:

Randy Casey Jr - CG, L, 8IP, 11R (6ER), 10H, 2K, 6BB

 

Game 2:

Chris Dyer - L, 6.2IP, 10R (6ER), 12H, 5K, 3BB

Jose Amezola - .1IP, 4R (0ER), 2H, BB

Jake Romo - 1IP, 5R (4ER), 3H, BB

 

Batting (combined)

Ryan Elliott - 3-7, 2B, R, 2RBI, HBP

Daniel Kahn - 2-7, 2B, R, 2RBI

Marcel Patterson Jr - 2-8, R, RBI

Jason Bolding - 2-8, 2R, SB

Chris Dyer - 2-8, 2R

Mike Miller - 1-7, 2R, RBI, BB

Justin "Juice" Born - 1-1

Jake Romo - 0-4, R, RBI, 2BB, 4SB

Michael LaCafta - 0-5, R, BB

Phillip Gerber - 0-0, R, BB

Jose Amezola - 0-1

Vivek Sarabu - 0-2

Greg Falk - 0-3

Randy Casey Jr - 0-3

Rick Valdez - 0-4

Royals End Regular Season with Loss

 

 

In the final game of the regular season, the Royals hung with the Lugnuts until the end, falling 10-7 after a late rally.

With both teams having already locked in their playoff seeding, everyone was sure to get some play time on each roster.  Jake Romo took the hill in his final regular season game before heading off to the University of Arizona, lasting 2 innings and allowing 7 runs on 6 hits and 5 walks.  Randy Casey Jr relieved and threw 2 innings of scoreless relief, and Chris Dyer following with a scoreless inning of his own.  Ryan Elliott allowed 2 runs in 1 inning, and Kyle Tillack closed things out throwing his first (and only) inning as a Royal, allowing 1 run in his final game before heading off to ASU.

Offensively, things were quiet until the 4th.  With 1 out, Marcel Patterson Jr singled, swiped second and scored on a Kyle Tillack double.  At this point, the Royals trailed 7-1.

Fast forward to the top of the 7th, with the Royals trailing 9-1.  With 1 out, Jake Romo was hit by a pitch and took second on a wild pitch.  He advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on Vivek Sarabu's first career rbi - a line drive single to right center!  Marcel Patterson Jr walked, and Kyle Tillack drove both runs home on a triple.  He'd score soon after by stealing home.  Chris Dyer walked, and Rick Valdez and Jason Bolding followed with back-to-back singles, with Bolding's knocking in Dyer.  Mike Miller followed with a single down the right field line to knock in Valdez's pinch runner - Justin "Juice" Born, who ran through the stop sign to cut the score to 9-7.

Unfortunately for the Royals, that's as close as they'd make it, and time expired before their offense could put anything else together.

Congrats on a great season to the Lugnuts, who roll into the playoffs as the #3 seed.  The Royals go in as the #7 seed, facing off next weekend with the Regulators.

 

Pitching

Jake Romo  - L, 2IP, 7ER, 6H, 5BB, K, HBP

Randy Casey Jr - 2IP, 0R, 2H, BB, 2K

Chris Dyer - IP, 0R, 2K

Ryan Elliott - IP, 2ER, H, 2BB

Kyle Tillack - IP, ER, 3H, BB, K

 

Batting

Kyle Tillack - 2-3, 2B, 3B, R, 3RBI, 2SB

Marcel Patterson Jr - 1-2, 2R, BB, SB

Rick Valdez - 1-2, R, BB

Jason Bolding - 1-3, RBI

Mike Miller - 1-3, RBI

Michael LaCafta - 1-2, R (first hit as a Royal!!!)

Daniel Kahn - 1-3

Greg Falk - 1-3

Vivek Sarabu - 1-1, R, RBI (first RBI as a Royal!!!)

Chris Dyer - 0-1, R, 2BB

Ryan Elliott - 0-3

Manoj Chitabathina - 0-1

Randy Casey Jr - 0-2

Phillip Gerber - 0-1

Jake Romo - 0-0, R, HBP

Justin "Juice" Born - 0-1

Royals Fall Apart Late, Lose 15-3 to Berzerkers

 

 

Their postseason spot more or less locked up, the Royals batted their entire lineup and hung in through 5, trailing only 4-1 before the Berzerkers' bats came to life and put this one away.

 

Chris Dyer started for the Royals and struck out 5 in 2 innings of no-run work.  Randy Casey Jr fought with his control, striking out 7 before hitting 4 batters and being chased from the game trailing 7-1.  Greg Falk didn't do much better, working 1.2 innings of relief, allowing 6 runs of his own.  Marcel Patterson Jr pitched the final frame, allowing 2 runs before the Berzerkers walked off with the mercy.

 

Offensively, Greg Falk may have finally broken out of his season-long slump with 2 hits and a walk. Marcel Patterson Jr singled, walked, stole a base and scored twice, and Mike Miller had a single and 2 rbis.  The only other offense for the Royals came from the most unlikely source, as cricket player Vivek Sarabu hit a line drive off the glove of the Berzerker's first baseman for his first hit as a baseball player!

Royals Clinch Playoff Spot With 14-8 Win Over Pirates

 

 

With their postseason life in the balance, the Royals came back against a surprisingly strong 8-man Pirates team to win 14-8 and clinching at minimum the 7-seed in the postseason with 2 weeks to go in the season.

 

Jake Romo took the hill and worked 3 innings, giving up 4 earned on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3.  Randy Casey Jr picked up his first win of the season in relief, throwing 3 innings and allowing 4 earned runs on 5 hits and 5 walks, striking out 4.  Greg Falk picked up a 2-inning save, allowing no runs on 3 hits and a walk.

 

Offensively, Jason Bolding led the way with a 4 for 4 day, scoring twice and knocking in 2.  He also had one of 6 doubles on the day.  All star Marcel Patterson Jr had 3 hits, including a triple, and Kyle Tillack, Rick Valdez, Mike Miller and Daniel Kahn each had multi-hit games (each with a double, except for all star Tillack, who had TWO doubles.)  Greg Falk had the only other hit on the day.  Valdez scored 3 runs, while Tillack and Miller each knocked in 3.