Royals Make History with Dominant Win Over MACU in NAIA Opening Round

SHREVEPORT, LA– The Royals baseball team etched their name in the history books Monday afternoon, capturing their first-ever NAIA regional victory with a 13-6 win over Mid-America Christian University (MACU) in the Shreveport Bracket hosted by LSU-Shreveport. The win marks a monumental step forward for the program, not only in performance but in legacy.

After a back-and-forth start, the Royals exploded for seven runs in the fifth inning to seize control of the contest. Despite a three-hour rain delay in the eighth inning, Johnson remained composed and finished strong, tacking on three insurance runs in the ninth to seal the deal.

Senior outfielder Bryson Shown led the offensive charge with a career performance, going 4-for-5 at the plate with two doubles, a home run, and a staggering six RBIs. His three-run blast in the top of the ninth put an exclamation point on the Royals' statement victory.

"This is huge," said head coach Dave Serrano after the game. "We've talked all week about staying in character, and the guys did that—through adversity, through a rain delay, through everything. I'm just so proud of this team."

The Royals racked up 16 hits, including multi-hit efforts from Nolan Cusey (4-for-5, 3 runs, RBI), Cade Liefer (2-for-5, 3 RBIs), and Alonzo Zuniga (2-for-5). In total, 11 of Johnson's 13 runs came with two outs, a testament to the team's composure and clutch performance.

On the mound, Colby Reynolds earned his 13th win of the season, throwing seven innings and allowing six runs while striking out five against a potent MACU lineup. Garrett Borst closed the final two innings, allowing just one hit and no runs to preserve the win.

Coach Serrano praised the all-around effort: "It wasn't just Bryson, or Colby, or any one guy—it was all 26 players, our coaching staff, the support crew, everyone. This was a total team win."

The Royals (36-16) advance in the winner's bracket and will look to keep their postseason run alive with another game tomorrow against the winner of Ottawa and LSU-Shreveport.

With Monday's victory, Johnson University not only made a statement—they made history.