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Hope International University

BSB vs STU
8
St. Thomas STU 2-2
14
Winner Hope International HOPE 1-0
St. Thomas STU
2-2
8
Final
14
Hope International HOPE
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
St. Thomas STU 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 3 2 8 6 1
Hope International HOPE 3 2 0 1 0 5 1 2 X 14 21 2

W: Sato, Sakemi (1-0) L: E. Ballenill (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Robert Nilsen

Royals Start World Series Title Defense with 14-8 Win Over Bobcats

Auburndale, FL – The No. 2 Hope International University baseball team started their World Series title defense off with a 14-8 victory over the St. Thomas University Bobcats on Thursday afternoon at the East West Challenge at Lake Myrtle Compex in Auburndale, FL.

Josh Landry got the start and pitched 4 2/3 innings allowing two unearned runs on two hits while walking three and striking out five. Sakemi Sato (1-0) picked up the win in relief pitching 2 1/3 innings allowing one unearned run on two hits while walking two and striking out one. Matthew Pinal led the Royals offense in his return after missing last season going 3-for-5 with 4 RBIs and a home run. 

Landry got things going by working around a leadoff walk to retire the Bobcats in order. The offense then got off to a great start in the bottom of the first as Amari Bartee crushed a leadoff home run to put the Royals up 1-0. The Royals then added to their lead as Kyle Harvey delivered a two run single to left to make it 3-0. Landry put the Bobcats down 1-2-3 in the top of the second while the Royals offense cashed in once again with Josiah Chavez ripping an RBI double to right field to make it 4-0. Later in the inning with runners on the corners and two outs David Shackelford delivered an RBI single to left center to increase the Royals lead to 5-0.

The Bobcats looked for an answer but Landry continued to shut them down working his way out of a bases load jam in the top of the third with a big strikeout to keep them off the board. The Royals then added another run in the bottom of the fourth as Bartee reached base on a hit by pitch, stole second and then scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-0. The Bobcats would finally get to Landry in the fifth as they took advantage of an error to score two runs and make it 6-2. They would then add another run in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch to pull within 6-3. 

The Royals weren't done scoring though as Pinal crushed a three run bomb with one down to extend the Royals lead to 9-3. The Royals would then put two more runners on before Harvey ripped an RBI double down the left field line to make it 10-3. Colby Moran then followed with an RBI single to center to push the lead to 11-3. Sato then kept the Bobcats at bay while the Royals struck again in the bottom of the seventh as Trotter Boston delivered a two out RBI double to rightfield to make it 12-3. The Bobcats would strike back with three runs in the top of the eighth to make it 12-6 but the Royals answered in the bottom half with back to back pinch hit RBI singles by Alejandro Torres and Ivan Barragan to increase the lead to 14-6. The Bobcats weren't done either as they made it 14-8 but Ryder Stowasser who had come in from the bullpen came back to get a strikeout and a flyout to seal the win.

The Royals continue action at the East West Challenge with a doubleheader on Friday, January 31 as they take on Ave Maria at 11:00 AM PT before having a World Series Championship rematch against No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan at 3:00 PM PT in Auburndale, FL.
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