Royals Steal One in Williston
The Royals headed west for their first conference series of the season, taking on the first-place Williston State Tetons (26–9).
The Royals headed west for their first conference series of the season, taking on the first-place Williston State Tetons (26–9). The four-game set was played at Rabon Field in Williston, North Dakota.
Game one opened with Williston State scoring five runs in the bottom of the second inning, setting the tone for an 8–2 victory in seven innings. The Royals' offense struggled against Tetons starter Cameron Fenn, who threw a complete game and allowed just six hits. Jamison Nelson provided a bright spot, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
In Saturday's second game, the Royals bounced back in strong fashion. They scored three runs over the first two innings and held on for a 4–1 win. Hunter Remmick delivered 5.1 scoreless innings, while Dayton Christensen came in to secure the save. Lucas Lyons and Trason Beck each went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the offense.
Sunday's first game proved challenging for the Royals, as they were limited to just two hits in a complete-game effort by the Williston State pitcher. Lucas Lyons and Tyler Olson recorded the only hits. The Royals used five pitchers in the contest, with Jack Albert finishing strong by throwing a hitless final inning.
In the series finale, the Tetons jumped out to an early 8–0 lead after three innings. The Royals responded with four runs in the fifth to cut the deficit in half, but Williston State pulled away with a seven-run seventh inning to secure a 16–5 win. Joesiah Ancheta, Evan Clark, and Donnovin Fiorentino each went 2-for-3 to pace the Royals' offense.
The Royals wrapped up the road trip with a 1–3 record against the top-ranked Tetons in their Mon-Dak conference opener.
