Royals Fall to Freed-Hardeman in High-Scoring Midweek Matchup
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Freed-Hardeman (TN)
|
1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 17 | 1 |
|
Johnson (TN)
|
2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 0 |
KNOXVILLE, TN– The Royals put up a strong offensive effort but came up short in a 12-8 loss to Freed-Hardeman on Tuesday night. Despite multiple rallies and 13 total hits, the Royals couldn't overcome a tough middle-inning stretch where the Lions took control.
Head coach Dave Serrano reflected on the game and his team's resilience. "This was a tough loss, but it's another opportunity for us to learn and grow. We had some uncharacteristic mistakes, and against a quality opponent like Freed-Hardeman, those will cost you. Offensively, we kept fighting and put pressure on them all night, but we need to be sharper on the mound and execute in key moments. We'll take this and use it as motivation moving forward."
Game Recap
Both teams came out swinging, combining for 20 runs and 30 hits in a back-and-forth contest. The Royals held an early 5-4 lead after three innings, but a six-run fifth inning by Freed-Hardeman proved to be the difference.
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Travis Hobbensiefken had a huge night, going 4-for-5 with a triple and an RBI.
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Nolan Cusey drove in two runs and added two hits.
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Cade Liefer crushed a solo home run in the second inning.
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Alonzo Zuniga continued his strong season, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
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Braden Frank, Bryson Shown, and Brayden Taylor each added an RBI.
On the mound, the Royals used six pitchers throughout the game:
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Nathan Hoffman started and allowed four earned runs over two innings.
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Ryan Rhea provided two solid innings, allowing just one run.
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Brooks Bird (L, 3-2) took the loss after surrendering four runs in the fifth.
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Kaleb Townsend, Austin Sykes, and James Showalter combined to cover the final four innings, holding the Lions to just three runs over that stretch.
Looking Ahead
Despite the loss, the Royals will look to regroup as they head back into conference play this weekend. With strong offensive momentum, Johnson will aim to bounce back and build on their successful season.
For schedule updates and more, visit JohnsonRoyals.com.