Royals Open Series with Shutout Victory Over Columbia International

COLUMBIA, S.C.– The Royals continued their strong start to the season with a dominant 6-0 victory over Columbia International in Game 1 of their weekend series. Behind solid pitching and a steady defensive performance, the Royals secured their 18th win of the season.

Pitching Leads the Way
Colby Reynolds (6-1) set the tone on the mound, tossing six scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and striking out three. The bullpen backed him up with Brooks Bird and Kaleb Townsend combining for three shutout innings to close out the game, limiting the Rams to just seven hits overall.

Despite a slow offensive start, the Royals broke through in the fourth inning with two runs before adding four more in the seventh to secure the win. Travis Hobbensiefken, Braden Frank, and Austin Menesini each drove in runs, while Luke Wilson showcased his speed with three stolen bases.

Head Coach Dave Serrano acknowledged the challenges of a long travel day but praised his team's resilience:

"Today was another sign that this team and program is headed in a good direction. Long day of travel that started early this morning, and it showed throughout the game. I think the only part of our game that was at a good and consistent level was our defense, and we were able to find a way to win. The offense was a little off and the pitching was a little off, and to get the win is a good sign moving forward."

Looking Ahead
The Royals (18-4, 8-2) will look to carry their momentum into the rest of the series as they continue conference play. With strong pitching and a defense that has been reliable all season, they aim to build on their winning ways.