Royals continue with roll; win Wood Bat Tournament

After starting the week splitting doubleheaders with the Nampa Indians and Buhl Tribe, the Mountain Home Royals swept through the Nampa Wood Bat Tournament with five straight wins to win the championship.

Royals 1, 16

Indians 7, 0

The Mountain Home Royals bounced back from a 7-1 loss to the Nampa Indians in the first game of a doubleheader last Monday at Columbia High School in Nampa to clobber the Indians, 16-0 in the second game and gain a split.

Three Indian pitchers limited the Royals to just four hits in the first game, as Mountain Home hit the ball well, but unfortunately, right at the Indians.

"We just had some bad breaks today," said Mountain Home Royals head coach Mark Cotton after the first game. "Our defense definitely wasn't where it normally is, and if you look at the five games that we've won, it's been because of our defense, and our pitching's been solid. Ricky (Baker) threw a great ball game today, but we just didn't play defense behind him."

Ricky Baker gave up nine hits while striking out two, walking two and hitting three batters. Just four of the seven runs he gave up were earned, as he dropped to 1-1 on the season.

Ricky Lee had two of the Royals four hits in the first game.

Gabe Anderson had an RBI-single, and Brock Morris had the other hit.

The Royals' bats came alive in the second game, as they pounded out 15 hits and scored 10 runs in the third inning on their way to a 16-0 five-inning win.

Ricky Lee had three hits and an RBI, and Eric Christiansen had two doubles and knocked in two runs. Jake Hiler and Steven Budine both had two hits, Hiler had an RBI. Chris Rau and Jordan Cisna both had a hit and two RBIs, Zane Bundy had an RBI-double, Joe Poseley had an RBI-single, and Tom Hennessey and Gabe Anderson also had hits.

Joe Poseley picked up the win, scattering three hits in four innings of work. Brock Morris pitched a scoreless fifth inning.

"When the top of our lineup is hitting well, it seems like we come out and score a bunch of runs," said Coach Cotton after the game. "Obviously, in baseball everything kind of revolves around getting a good start and having your one-two-three-four hitters hitting well, and these guys, when they have stepped it up, we've put a lot of runs on the board, so we need those guys to keep doing that, and keep having good pitching performances like Joe had today."

Royals 14, 9

Buhl Tribe 3, 12

The Royals hosted the Buhl Tribe for a doubleheader in their home opener last Tuesday, splitting with the Tribe, winning the first game, 14-3, in five, and dropping the nightcap, 12-9.

With former Royals manager and head coach Soapy Walborn throwing out the first pitch, the Royals struck for five runs in the first inning, added two in the second, three in the third and four in the fourth, as they ran to a 14-3 win in five.

Jake Hiler picked up the win in the first game, giving up just two earned runs while striking out eight. He helped himself out at the plate, getting four hits including two doubles and a triple, driving in four runs. Brock Morris had three hits and two RBIs, Jordan Cisna, Chris Rau, and Ricky Lee each had two hits, Cisna and Rau had two RBIs, Lee, one, and Gabe Anderson had a two-run single.

"That's the best we have hit all year," said Coach Cotton after the first game. "Jake Hiler is capable of throwing a little bit better than he did, but he battled through it, and you know, that's all you can ask for from these older guys is to fight through some of those problems that you face early in the game, and he did, and he helped his own cause at the plate. Ricky Lee had a great day at the plate. It seemed like every time he came up to the plate, he ended up being on base, he found a way. Chris Rau is coming around a lot, and starting to really strike the ball."

The second game was an exciting sluggers' game that went back and forth, with both teams hitting the ball well. Buhl scored once in the top of the first, and the Royals plated two in the bottom of the inning.

The Tribe took a 3-2 lead in the top of the third, but Mountain Home countered with three in the bottom of the third, to go up, 5-3, with two of the runs coming on a two-run Joe Poseley home run.

Tanner Leckenby put one out in the Tribe fourth when they scored six runs to take a 9-5 lead. They added another in the sixth to make it 10-5, but Mountain Home put up four runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull within one, 10-9.

Buhl added two more runs in the top of the seventh, and the Royals had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh but failed to score, and Buhl held on for a 12-9 win.

"Their pitcher was not bad at all," said Coach Cotton after the second game, "and that's kind of one of the questions I had was how we would do against better pitching, and that's a mature team (Buhl), and like us, they've got some older kids and we battled them. I couldn't be more proud of these guys, I'm not disappointed at all, and I definitely think these guys see the benefit of the hard work they're putting in."

Chris Rau suffered the loss, giving up 10 runs in five innings of work. He helped his cause at the plate with three hits including two doubles and three RBIs.

Cal Vivier, Jake Hiler, Joe Poseley and Ricky Baker all had two hits, Vivier and Poseley had two RBIs -- Poseley on a home run -- Hiler had double and RBI, Baker had a double. Steven Budine had an RBI-single, and Ricky Lee had a double.

Royals 4

Emmett 1

Mountain Home opened play at the Nampa Wood Bat Tourney Thursday against Emmett, and came away with a 4-1 win. A three-run sixth inning for the Royals proved to be the difference in the game, which featured lots of good pitching

David Zito made his first start for the Royals, going five innings.

The recent Glenns Ferry graduate gave up just one run on two hits, striking out eight. Eric Christiansen pitched two scoreless innings to close the game out and get the save, striking out three.

At the plate, Joe Poseley and Jake Hiler both had doubles, Poseley knocked in two runs, Hiler, one. Ricky Lee had an RBI-single. David Zito, Brock Morris and Cal Vivier also had hits.

"Honestly, I thought it was one of our better efforts we've had all year," said Royals head Coach Mark Cotton of the Emmett game. "David Zito threw really well for us, for not throwing for three weeks. He worked ahead in the count and his change-up was working really good, and he kept the batters off balance all day, and then Eric (Christiansen) came in and closed out the last two innings and did a great job, and he's been solid for us all year.

"We hit the ball well. Chris Rau hit some balls really hard and Ricky Lee hit the ball really hard, and when we can get our top four guys in the batting order getting their sticks going, we've had some good luck, and just hitting with runners in scoring position, that was a key part to our success."

Royals 5

Indians 3

A two-run sixth inning proved to be the difference Friday when the Royals downed the Nampa Indians at the Nampa Wood Bat Tourney at Rodeo Park in Nampa.

"It was a good game," said Coach Cotton after the game. "It's good for these guys to be in close games like that where it comes down to the wire. We had guys that came through when we had runners in scoring position, and our pitching kind of pushed us through it. John Murdorf kept us in the game until the fifth when he got injured, and then Eric (Christiansen) came in and threw really well, and (David) Zito closed the game out. Our pitching is definitely our strength, and if can keep having clutch hitting the way we have, and keep having the top of our lineup hitting the way they are, I definitely think it's going to pull us through the season and we'll keep being successful."

Ricky Lee had three hits including a double and drove in two runs for the Royals. Tom Hennessey had two hits, Jake Hiler had a hit and RBI, Chris Rau, Eric Christiansen, Zane Bundy and Ricky Baker all had hits, and Steven Budine had an RBI.

John Murdorf pitched into the fifth inning before suffering a spiral fracture of his pitching arm above the elbow. Eric Christiansen pitched two scoreless innings to get the win and David Zito closed out the game with a scoreless seventh inning to get the save.

Royals 12

Toros 3

The Royals broke open a close game with four runs in the third inning and five more in the fifth on their way to a 12-3 win over the Mountain View Toros Saturday in the Wood Bat Tourney at Nampa's Rodeo Park.

"They're really a scrappy team and the score might not have showed it, but they hit the ball really well," said Coach Cotton of Mountain Home. "Chris (Rau) definitely had better stuff today and did a great job of keeping the ball down in the zone and working ahead (of the hitters) and threw really well, and then Gabe (Anderson) came in and threw well, also -- he's been really solid for us, both as a reliever and as a starter. Once again pitching carried us through, and our bats came through as well, so it was another good win!"

Chris Rau picked up his first win of the season, pitching into the fifth inning. Gabe Anderson gave up just one hit in closing out the game.

Cal Vivier and Jake Hiler both had two hits and drove in runs. Ricky Lee had a triple and an RBI, David Zito and Ricky Baker both had doubles and RBIs. Chris Rau and Brock Morris both had singles and RBIs, and Jordan Cisna also had a hit.

Royals 3

Kuna 0

Jake Hiler pitched a three-hit shutout Saturday afternoon as the Royals downed the Kuna Diamondbacks, 3-0, in the Nampa Wood Bat Tourney.

Tom Hennessey had two hits and an RBI, and Joe Poseley had a hit and RBI. Chris Rau, Zane Bundy, Steven Budine and Gabe Anderson also had hits. Hiler struck out six and walked two in improving to 3-0 on the season.

"It seemed like we were kind of on cruise control," said Coach Cotton after the game. "I think the guys were starting to get a little fatigued. We've played a lot of games in a short period of time, but they bared down and found a way to get it done. (Jake) Hiler threw very well, working ahead and his off-speed stuff was working great. We put runs across when we needed them. The guys are battling and I think we're getting to the point now where we're really starting to jell as a team, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow and playing the Braves."

Royals 10

Braves 0

David Zito struck out 13 batters and gave up just four hits as the Royals blanked the Nampa Braves, 10-0, to win the Nampa Wood Bat Tourney Sunday. Zito struck out every batter he faced at least once in improving to 2-0 on the season.

"David Zito got us on the right track today, striking out the side to start the game and got the momentum going." said Coach Cotton. It was total domination on the mound, he was awesome. He's definitely stepped in and filled some big shoes there, and we're excited to have him on the team. The guys have definitely welcomed him with open arms and David has been a great addition to the team, and we're looking forward to what he can offer us for the rest of the year."

Joe Poseley led the Royals at the plate with two hits and three RBIs. Jake Hiler had a hit and knocked in two runs, Chris Rau had a hit and RBI. Ricky Lee and Brock Morris also had RBIs.

Cotton was proud of the way his team stepped up and swept through the tourney undefeated to win the championship.

"I just can't say enough about these guys. We have so many different age groups on the team, and it seems like everybody's stepping up everywhere. One through 16, I really feel like we have a solid group. Like I said before, I feel like I could plug anybody into the line-up and we'd feel confident with that. This weekend we played five different line-ups, so I think that's definitely a compliment to the kids and the hard work that they've put in and the desire that they have to be out there. It's a great group to be around, and hopefully, this is a sign of things to come, and we'll get there, if the kids keep working hard."

The Royals improved to 12-3 on the season. They travel to Buhl Thursday for a doubleheader with the Tribe starting at 5 p.m. They are then home for single games against the Boise Seminoles and Boise Gems on Friday and Saturday, both games starting at 7 p.m.

Coach Cotton said his guys are looking forward to playing the Boise Gems again, after the Gems stung the Royals, 10-0, in five innings at Timberline Park in Boise.

"We can't wait to play the Gems because any time a team takes you the way they took us a couple weeks ago, you want to get a little revenge, so hopefully we can get them to our place and do the same thing that they did to us, but the only way we're going to do that is by playing defense and pitching well and putting runs on the scoreboard. The last time we played them, we didn't put any runs on the board, so hopefully, the guys can stay within themselves and try not to do too much and come out of there with a victory."