Royals Split Home Opener Against NDSCS

The Royals hosted the NDSCS Wildcats on Wednesday for their baseball home opener, splitting a two-game series.

Game 1
The Wildcats came out swinging, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning behind three singles and a two-run home run. The Royals responded in the bottom half, capitalizing on an error and a single from Beau Brodina. After drawing two walks and adding a sacrifice fly, the Royals cut the deficit to 4–2 after one inning.

Both teams went quiet until the bottom of the fourth, when Trason Beck launched a solo home run to bring the Royals within one. In the fifth, the Royals took control—after two walks, Dane Hagler delivered an RBI single, and Vinny Fiorentino later scored on a wild pitch.

The Royals held the Wildcats scoreless over the final two innings to secure a 5–4 victory. Brodina led the offense, going 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Beck added a home run, finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Logan Enns rebounded after a tough first inning to throw four scoreless frames, and Ashton Rinas closed it out to earn the save.

Game 2
The second game started as a pitcher's duel, with both teams scoreless through two innings. The Royals broke through in the third with singles from Dayton Christensen, Brodina, and Lucas Lyons. An error on a ball hit by Tyler Olson allowed the first run to cross the plate.

The Wildcats answered in the fourth, scoring four runs on four singles and two walks. They added two more in the sixth, aided by a Royals error, extending their lead to 6–1 heading into the final inning.

The Royals showed life in the seventh when Gabe McKinney blasted a home run to cut the lead to 6–2. Jax Yakiwchuk followed with a single, but the rally fell short as the final three batters struck out.

Dane Hagler returned to the mound for Game 2, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing four earned runs.

The Royals will be back in action Thursday as they travel to face the Jacks in Bottineau for a doubleheader.