IN A TOTAL TEAM EFFORT, THE GRITTY ROYALS STYMIE THE PESKY LIZZIES TO WIN THEIR SEMI-FINAL GAME AND ADVANCE TO A PEEWEE DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SHOWDOWN AGAINST THE ORIOLES
TOTAL TEAM EFFORT > Counter clockwise from top left: Arlo (8) went 3 for 3 at the plate [two doubles, single] to power the Royals offense with a run scored and 4 RBI’s; In three appearances at the dish, Lucas (6) went 2 for 2 [two singles, walk] with three runs scored and a RBI; In workmanlike fashion, Royals reliever Thomas (11) threw two scoreless innings. [2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K, 1 HB]; Charley (5) tossed a strong inning of relief in the fifth. [1IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K]; Tyler (7) pitched two sterling innings for the Royals where he allowed no runs. [2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K]
With their victory over the Lizzies, the Royals advance to a Peewee Division Championship showdown against the top seeded Orioles at Christie Pits Diamond 2 on Thursday, September 12 at 7:45 p.m.
In a total team effort, the Royals played their best all around game of the season as they were firing on all pistons from the first pitch to the final out.
The Royals used a combination of strong pitching, opportune hitting, and solid defense to stymie the pesky Lizzies. After the first inning, the Royals bullpen was stellar as three pitchers combined to limit the potent Lizzies offense to only one run the rest of the game.
Meanwhile, the Royals offense maximized the opportunities presented to them by delivering clutch hits when necessary with runners in scoring position.
And when the Lizzies threatened, the Royals defense came up in spades with some big plays to quell the uprising.
Here are the highlights:
- The Lizzies jumped out the batter’s box in the top of the first with a 4-0 lead. Respective bases loaded RBI singles from John (2), Noel (14) and John Lee (11) scored John Eric (2), Jack (7) and John. A RBI walk by Maxwell (13) brought Clay (1) home.
- In the bottom of the first, the Royals answered back with four runs to even the proceedings. With two outs and a pair of Royals on base, Arlo (8) stroked a clutch two RBI double to bring home Lucas (6) and Tyler (7). Later, with two runners on base, Zack (15) delivered a grace under pressure 2 RBI double to plate Arlo and Jacob (3).
- With some help from his friends, Royals reliever Thomas (11) pitched a strong inning to keep the Lizzies off the scoresheet in the top of the first.
- Royals right fielder Xavier (4) was the catalyst of a spectacular double play in the second. With one out and a Lizzies base runner on first, Cormac (4) hit a fly ball to right. As the baseball descended like a dying quail, Xavier leapt into the air to catch the ball in the shoestrings of his glove before it hit the grass to record the second out. Noticing that the Lizzies runner had wandered astray from first, Xavier quickly picked himself up and made a laser throw to his first baseman to complete the double putout.
- The Royals scored a run in the bottom of the second to take the lead 5-4. After a one out single and stolen base, Charley (5) motored home on a Lizzies fielding miscue.
- Lizzies reliever Maxwell (13) effectively diffused the Royals in the second with a one K effort while allowing an unearned run.
- Thomas retired the Lizzies in 1-2-3 order with two strikeouts in the top of the third to keep them off the scoring ledger. Thomas also helped his cause when he caught a sizzling line drive off the bat of Katya (3) to record the second out of the inning.
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Lucas (6) beats the tag attempt of Lizzies catcher John Eric (2) to slide home safely and score the Royals sixth run in the third inning.
In the bottom of the third, the Royals scored a pair to widen their advantage to 7-4. After Lucas had reached base on a one out single and stolen a pair of bases, he blazed home on a Lizzies error to score the Royals sixth run. Subsequently, with two outs and a Royal on base, Arlo hit a RBI double to bring home Tyler.
- With a solid defensive wall behind him, Royals reliever Tyler (7) pitched a scoreless top of the fourth.
- The Royals turned in a pair of nice defensive gems in the fourth. Royals catcher Thomas battled the darkness amidst the overhead lights illuminating the diamond near the backstop to catch a sky high pop up to record the first out of the inning. Next, shortstop Arlo went deep into the hole between third and second to scoop up a hard hit ball and made a laser throw to first baseman Jacob to complete a 6-3 play for the second out.
- Lizzies reliever Marcus (8) pitched a tidy 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth to keep the Royals off the scoring abacus.
- Lizzies second baseman Noel turned in a nice unassisted double play in the fourth. With one out and a Royal at first, Noel caught a pop up for the second out and hustled over to first to double up the wayfaring Royals base runner for the third out.
- In the top of the fifth, the Lizzies scored a run to trim the deficit to three. With a Lizzies runner on third, John Lee stroked a one out RBI single to score Maxwell.
- Shaken, but not stirred, Royals reliever Charley (5) subdued the pesky Lizzies comeback attempt with a two strikeout performance in the fifth. Charley also helped himself out during the inning when he surreptitiously threw the ball to first baseman Xavier, who adroitly applied the tag on a napping Lizzies base runner to record the second out.
- The Royals offense went for the jugular in the top of the sixth as they exploded for four insurance runs to widen their lead to 11-5. With two Royals on base, Lucas delivered a RBI single to plate Connor (2). After Xavier singled to load the bases, Tyler drew a RBI walk to bring Mary (13) home. Arlo followed with a RBI single to score Lucas. On a Lizzies error, Xavier came home to roost.
- Royals closer Tyler sealed the deal on the Royals victory in 1-2-3 fashion with a strikeout and two 1-3 putouts.
The TP Baseball Committee wishes to commend Lizzies coaches Gordon Belray and Michael Goldsmith and all the Lizzies players on a great season.