Baseball 3/16/2024 9:07:00 PM Robert Nilsen

Royals Run Winning Steak to Four Games With Sweep of Flames

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Fullerton, CA – The No. 20 Hope International University baseball team (16-9) ran their win streak to four games as they took down the Bethesda University Flames 15-7 and 9-2 on Saturday afternoon at home at Duane Winters Field in Fullerton, CA.

Game 1:
Justin Drury (3-0) picked up his third win of the season pitching 5 1/3 innings allowing three runs on five hits while walking one and striking out six. Amari Bartee led the Royals offense going 2-for-3 with four RBIs.

Drury shutdown the Flames over the first three innings putting them down in order in the the first and third while the Royals offense broke through in the bottom of the third. With two on and one out Alec Arnone came through with an RBI single to right to put the Royals up 1-0. Dean Toigo then made it 2-0 on a fielder's choice before Gunnar Magrann ripped a triple down the right field line to increase the Royals lead to 3-0.

The Flames struck back in the top of the fourth to make it 3-1 but the Royals answered in the bottom half as Alex Moreno made it 4-1 on a sac fly. JJ Cruz then delivered a two out RBI single to right to increase the Royals lead to 5-1. Drury then worked out of trouble in the top of the fifth while the Royals broke the game open in the bottom half. The Royals loaded the bases with nobody out before a fielder's choice by Matthew Dorado made it 6-1. Then with two down David Rivera launched his fifth home run of the season a two run shot to increase the lead to 9-1.

The Flames continued to fight as they made it 9-4 but Gio Besio who came in from the bullpen limited the damage as he got a foul out and a strikeout to end the inning. The Royals then increase their lead in the bottom of the seventh as Bartee crushed a three run bomb to make it 12-4. The Royals weren't done as they struck from more in the bottom of the eighth as they loaded the bases with nobody out. Jacob Savoy would then draw a bases loaded walk to make it 13-4. The Royals would tack on two more runs as they took a commanding 15-4 advantage. The Flames weren't done either as they made it 15-7 but Luke Wallin who had come in in relief got a groundout to end the game and seal a 15-7 win.

Game 2:
Josh Landry (2-1) picked up his second win pitching 5 innings allowing two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out six. JJ Cruz led the Royals offense going 1-for-3 with three RBIs.

Landry shutdown the Flames over the first three innings including striking out the side in the top of the second. The Royals offense then opened the scoring in the bottom of the third as they put runners on the corners with nobody out. Rivera then delivered a sac fly to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Two batters later Cruz unloaded a three run home run, his fifth of the year to increase the Royals lead to 4-0.

Landry then put the Flames down in order in the top of the fourth while the Royals offense struck again in the bottom half. The Royals took advantage of walk, error and a single to load the bases with nobody out. Joey Legg then delivered an RBI fielder's choice to make it 5-0. Mario Tostado would then score on a wild pitch to make it 6-0 before Rivera ripped an RBI double to right center to make it 7-0. Alex Moreno then doubled to left center to make it 8-0 before a sac fly by Dean Toigo gave the Royals a commanding 9-0 lead.

The Flames fought back in the the top of the sixth as they made it 9-2 with two down but that's all they got as Toigo threw out another runner trying to score to end the inning. Sakemi Sato and Bear Pinedo then came in from the bullpen and shutdown the Flames over the final two innings combining to allow just one hit while striking out three as they sealed a 9-2 win.

The Royals continue action at home with as they host Saint Katherine on Tuesday, March 19 at 5:00 PM at Duane Winters Field in Fullerton, CA.

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Players Mentioned

#1 David Rivera: INF; 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R

#26 Matthew Dorado: C/1B; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#33 Justin Drury: RHP; 6' 3"; Sophomore; S/R

#26 JJ Cruz: INF; 6' 3"; Senior; L/R

#30 Joey Legg: INF; 6' 2"; Junior; L/R

#6 Alex Moreno: INF; 5' 10"; Senior; L/R

#25 Alec Arnone: C/INF; 6' 2"; Graduate Student; R/R

#18 Amari Bartee: OF; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

#35 Gio Besio: RHP; 6' 1"; Junior; R/R

#15 Bear Pinedo: LHP; 5' 11"; Senior; L/L

Players Mentioned

#1 David Rivera
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#26 Matthew Dorado
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: C/1B

#33 Justin Drury
: 6' 3"; Sophomore; S/R
: RHP

#26 JJ Cruz
: 6' 3"; Senior; L/R
: INF

#30 Joey Legg
: 6' 2"; Junior; L/R
: INF

#6 Alex Moreno
: 5' 10"; Senior; L/R
: INF

#25 Alec Arnone
: 6' 2"; Graduate Student; R/R
: C/INF

#18 Amari Bartee
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#35 Gio Besio
: 6' 1"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#15 Bear Pinedo
: 5' 11"; Senior; L/L
: LHP