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Hope International University

BSB vs Tabor
9
Winner Hope International HOPE INT 40-15
3
Tabor TABOR 37-16
Winner
Hope International HOPE INT
40-15
9
Final
3
Tabor TABOR
37-16
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Hope International HOPE INT 0 0 2 5 0 2 0 0 0 9 14 0
Tabor TABOR 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 3 11 0

W: Seeley, Trey (9-3) L: P. Tinkler (6-4)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Robert Nilsen

Royals Top Blue Jays Punch Ticket to NAIA World Series For Second Time

Fayette Bracket NAIA Opening Round Champions

Fayette, MO – The No. 10 Hope International University baseball team (40-15) took down the Tabor College Blue Jays 9-3 to win the NAIA Opening Round Championship in the Fayette Bracket and punch their ticket to the NAIA World Series for the second time in program history on Thursday afternoon at Central Methodist University in Fayette, MO.

Trey Seeley (9-3) got the start on short rest and picked up the victory pitching 5 2/3 innings allowing two runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out five. JJ Cruz and Alex Moreno led the Royals offense with both going 2-for-5 with three RBIs. 

It was a pitcher's duel through the first two innings as neither team gave way but it would be the Royals who would strike first in the top of the third. After a leadoff single by David Rivera and a double by Moreno the Royals took a 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout by Cruz. Moreno would then score on a wild pitch to increase the Royals lead to 2-0. Seeley then put the Blue Jays down in order in the bottom of the third while the Royals broke open the game in the top of the fourth. Ryan Maciel would leadoff with a single and then came home as Ryan Lamastra cranked his third home run of the year over the left field wall to increase the Royals lead to 4-0. After two more singles Moreno made it 5-0 with an RBI groundout. Cruz then followed with a two run shot to right field to give the Royals a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Blue Jays would pull a run back in the bottom of the fourth to make it 7-1 but Seeley came right back to get a flyout and a strikeout to limit the damage. The Royals would then add to their lead in the top of the sixth as Moreno smashed a line drove two run home run down the right field line to increase the lead to 9-1. The Blue Jays would strike back in the bottom of the sixth to make it 9-2 but Justin Drury then came in from the bullpen after just pitching two days ago and got a huge strikeout to end the inning. The Blue Jays tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff home run to make it 9-3 but Drury didn't fold as he got two strikeouts and a flyout to end the inning. Drury then shutdown the Blue Jays in the bottom of the eighth before making way for Boom Ward who finished things off in the ninth to seal the win and clinch the Fayette Bracket NAIA Opening Round Championship.

With the win the Royals punch their ticket to the Avista NAIA World Series for the second time in program history and first since 2017. The Royals join fellow GSAC members Arizona Christian in the ten team field.
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