Royals Open Season
With 2-1 Start
By Dustin Parker

South Royalton's Dustin Parker tags out Randolph's Thomas Jacobs in an attempted steal of third base. RUHS baseballers traveled to South Royalton Monday for a scrimmage. (Herald photo / Tim Calabro)

The Royals’ baseball team started their 2008 season with a win at home against Hazen Union last Tuesday, 9-4. Dustin Parker got the start for the Royals. He had a good first inning facing five batters, striking out two of them.

In the top of the second inning, Parker hit the first batter on the first pitch, but then struck out the next two batters. Parker gave up a single to right field, putting runners on first and third with two outs. Welch got a sharp ground ball hit right at him at first base for an easy third out. The Royals got their first run of the season after Jack Howe hit a single to start the rally. Zach Colburn drew a four-pitch walk, as did Tyler Manning. Cilley lined the second pitch he saw to right field, where the fielder had trouble catching it, scoring Howe. Miles Ellis got an RBI and, two batters later, Welch drew another walk, adding another run to the Royals’ lead of 3-0 after two innings.

Parker had a great start to the third inning. Cilley caught a fly out at second base, Parker caught a pop fly on the mound, but then Parker walked the next batter. Parker gave up a triple to right field, for a Hazen run. Parker ended the third with a strikeout.

Parker had some trouble in the fourth inning with Hazen coming within one, 3-2. Hazen tied the game before Parker ended the inning with a K.

Cilley came back with a double to right field to start the bottom of the fourth. Ellis tripled to left center, bringing Cilley home. Parker hit a ground out to second, but Ellis scored from third easily. Welch hit a double to center field with Clark moving Welch to third with a ground out. SoRo struggled somewhat in the fifth, but the combo of Parker pitching and Howe catching accounted for all three outs.

The Royals added one more to their total in the fifth to make it a 6-4 lead. The sixth inning would be the last for Parker, but he had a quick inning, with three ground outs. The Royals added three more runs in the bottom half of the sixth to finish off the game. In the top of the seventh inning, Tyler Manning would face three batters, striking out the first two, and then getting the last one to ground out to Ellis at short.

Loss vs. Windsor

Tyler Manning pitched the second game of the season, last Thursday.

Manning helped his own cause in the bottom of the first with a triple to right center field. Cilley got the RBI. Manning struggled in the second inning, and by the end of one and a half innings, the score was 5-1, Windsor.

The Royals could not get any offensive production during the next two innings. Windsor added two more runs for a 7-1 lead after three and a half innings.

The Royals chipped away at the lead by getting two more back in the fourth and fifth. Relief pitcher Cody Welch held Windsor scoreless in the fifth inning, making the Windsor lead 7-5 after five.

Windsor added two more runs in the sixth while the Royals were held scoreless. Welch surrendered another run in the seventh, allowing the Yellowjackets to finish the game with 10 runs. The Royals rallied in the seventh with three runs, but it would not be enough. The Royals lost, 10-8.

Win at Peoples

The Royals continued their opening week at Peoples Academy last Saturday.

The Royals exploded with six runs in the third inning. Parker, who pitched, held the Wolves scoreless in the home half of the third inning.

Parker ran into trouble in the fourth, giving up five runs, making it a 6-6 ball game after four innings. The Royals got some offensive production from Ellis in the fifth with a two-run, inside-the-park homerun. The Royals collected four runs in the fifth inning. Parker was relieved by Manning in the fifth inning. Peoples Academy answered back with five runs of their own in the fifth. The Royals could not tie the game in the sixth leaving their defense to hold the Wolves. Manning gave up yet another run, to make the score 12-10.

With one out in the top of the seventh, the rally began. Ellis was hit by a pitch, and then stole second base. Parker got a base hit to right field that scored Ellis from second. Welch moved Parker to second on a grounder to the shortstop that was bobbled. With runners on first and second, two outs, the ball got past the catcher to move Parker to third base and Welch to second. Clark worked the pitcher to a full count before fouling off three pitches. With hopes of winning the game resting on Clark’s shoulders, he lined the next pitch up the middle to score two runs. Clark worked his way around the diamond later in the inning to score and make it a 14-12 Royals’ lead. Manning shut the door in the seventh with three strikeouts.

The Royals will host Rivendell Saturday, April 26 for their next game.

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